Bovine respiratory disease is the most common and costly disease in beef cattle, causing significant suffering and representing a major welfare challenge in intensive beef production.
BRD causes significant suffering through pneumonia, fever, and respiratory distress. The disease progresses rapidly in stressed animals, making early recognition critical for welfare and treatment success. Risk factors including transport, mixing, weaning, and weather stress are largely avoidable through management changes that simultaneously improve welfare and reduce disease incidence. Farmers face pressure to use prophylactic antibiotics to prevent outbreaks, creating an antibiotic stewardship tension. Best welfare practice focuses on reducing predisposing stressors, monitoring for early disease signs, and treating promptly with appropriate antibiotics when disease is detected rather than preventing through prophylaxis.