Bovine respiratory disease is the most costly and welfare-significant illness in the cattle industry, causing substantial suffering in feedlot and housed cattle.
Bovine respiratory disease causes acute suffering: fever, painful breathing, lethargy, nasal discharge and often death. The disease is fundamentally linked to modern cattle management practices - the stress of weaning, long-distance transport, and introduction to feedlots suppresses immunity at the exact moment cattle are most exposed to pathogens. Welfare-focused approaches include pre-conditioning programs where calves are vaccinated and acclimatized before transport, reduced stocking densities, improved ventilation and early detection systems. Treating individual animals early rather than relying on mass medication both improves welfare and reduces antibiotic use.