Bovine respiratory disease treatment requires welfare-focused protocols that ensure adequate pain management alongside antibiotic therapy, as respiratory disease causes significant pain and distress.
BRD treatment welfare requires recognition that respiratory infection is a painful condition requiring analgesia alongside antimicrobial therapy. Research consistently shows that adding NSAIDs to antibiotic treatment improves welfare indicators and clinical outcomes simultaneously - the welfare and productivity interests align. Treatment welfare also requires adequate duration and appropriate antibiotic selection to prevent relapse - an animal that relapses from undertreated BRD experiences welfare harm that could have been prevented. Non-responsive cases require honest welfare assessment including whether continued treatment is causing suffering without reasonable prospect of recovery.