Livestock

Respiratory Disease Scoring in Cattle: A Welfare Tool

Guide to using validated respiratory scoring systems to improve cattle welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of mortality in weaned beef calves and a major welfare concern
The DART scoring system (Depression, Appetite, Respiratory, Temperature) is widely used in North America
The Wisconsin calf scoring system provides detailed scoring of nasal discharge, eye discharge, and cough
Subclinical BRD without obvious clinical signs but with lung consolidation affects up to 50% of calves in some systems
Thoracic ultrasound allows detection of lung consolidation before clinical signs appear
Early detection and treatment within 24 hours of onset significantly reduces mortality and chronic lung damage
Training stockpeople to use scoring tools consistently and reliably is the critical implementation challenge
Systematic scoring shifts management from reactive treatment to proactive welfare protection

Welfare Significance

Respiratory disease scoring is a transformative welfare tool. It shifts calf health management from reactive to proactive, detecting and treating early before chronic damage occurs. The welfare benefit of catching BRD in the subclinical phase before suffering becomes severe is enormous.

What You Can Do

Implement a validated respiratory scoring protocol for all calves at weaning and during high-risk periods
Consider thoracic ultrasound as a routine monitoring tool in high-prevalence herds
Train all stockpeople to recognise and score BRD signs consistently
Establish clear treatment trigger thresholds so decisions are made quickly and consistently