Cattle Farming

Cattle Youngstock Respiratory Disease Welfare

Bovine Respiratory Disease in youngstock is the most economically important and welfare-significant disease in cattle production worldwide.

Key Facts

BRD causes 25% of all cattle deaths and significant sub-clinical welfare impacts
Viral priming followed by bacterial infection is the typical disease progression
Vaccination against respiratory pathogens reduces BRD incidence by 30-50%
Early antibiotic treatment of clinical cases dramatically improves welfare outcomes
Adequate ventilation reduces viral and bacterial pathogen loads in housed cattle

Welfare Considerations

BRD causes fever, laboured breathing, and appetite loss that cause significant suffering. Sub-clinical cases - where cattle appear only mildly affected - still suffer and have compromised long-term welfare and production. The combination of prevention through vaccination and housing, and prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics, represents the welfare standard for BRD management.

What You Can Do

Support cattle welfare standards including BRD prevention and monitoring requirements
Advocate for routine vaccination against respiratory pathogens in youngstock rearing
Choose beef from farms with documented respiratory disease management programmes