Preventing bovine respiratory disease through vaccination, housing, and management reduces one of the most significant welfare and economic problems in cattle.
BRD causes fever, laboured breathing, and appetite loss that cause significant suffering. Sub-clinical respiratory disease - where animals appear mildly affected - causes chronic discomfort that impairs welfare throughout the growing period. Prevention through vaccination, housing management, and stress reduction during transport and mixing provides welfare benefits for individual animals while reducing antibiotic use.