Cattle immune function is a welfare parameter affected by nutrition, stress, and management practices that determine disease susceptibility.
Cattle immune function sits at the intersection of welfare, nutrition, and disease management. Immune compromise from stress, nutritional deficiency, or viral infection increases susceptibility to the infections that cause welfare costs. Managing immune function through appropriate nutrition, stress reduction, and disease prevention (especially BVD) is a preventive welfare investment that reduces the welfare costs of subsequent disease.