Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of illness and death in beef cattle, affecting millions of animals annually. It represents a major welfare and economic burden in the cattle industry.
Bovine respiratory disease causes significant suffering in affected cattle. Animals experience fever, difficulty breathing, reduced appetite and depression during acute disease phases. Chronic BRD survivors often have permanent lung damage impairing their ability to gain weight and maintain normal activity levels. The pain and malaise associated with pneumonia are distressing experiences. The stressors that trigger BRD - weaning, long-distance transport, mixing with unfamiliar animals - are themselves welfare concerns. The high prevalence of the disease in intensive beef production systems suggests that the management practices themselves create conditions where chronic respiratory illness is normalized and partially accepted as an industry reality.