Farm Animals

Farmed Cattle Respiratory Welfare in Beef

Bovine respiratory disease is the most significant welfare and economic problem in beef cattle production globally.

Key Facts

BRD is responsible for approximately 70% of illness in feedlot cattle
It involves synergistic viral and bacterial infection exacerbated by stress
Stress from weaning, transport, and mixing creates the 'shipping fever' syndrome
Early detection using scoring systems reduces severity and antibiotic use
Prevention through vaccination and stress management is more welfare-positive than treatment

Welfare Considerations

Beef cattle with BRD experience fever, pain, breathing difficulty, and depression lasting days to weeks. Mass outbreaks in feedlot systems cause welfare harm at scale. A prevention-first approach that reduces stress at high-risk transitions and uses vaccination to reduce viral infection severity addresses the root causes of this major welfare problem.

What You Can Do

Support beef welfare standards requiring BRD prevention protocols
Advocate for stress reduction at weaning and arrival as welfare standards
Choose beef from producers with documented low BRD incidence