Bovine respiratory disease is the most common and costly disease of beef cattle, causing significant welfare suffering and economic loss that proactive management through vaccination and housing can substantially reduce.
Bovine respiratory disease causes days to weeks of illness characterized by fever, difficult breathing, reduced feeding, and lethargy. Animals that recover may have permanent lung damage that impairs welfare and performance for the remainder of their lives. The preventability of BRD through vaccination and stress reduction means that high incidence rates in beef operations reflect management choices rather than inevitable disease burden. Welfare-conscious management treats BRD prevention as integral to production rather than as a cost center.