Ventilation quality in cattle buildings is a critical welfare determinant, affecting respiratory health, ammonia exposure, and overall quality of life.
Cattle in poorly ventilated housing experience chronic respiratory irritation from ammonia and airborne pathogens. This predisposes them to respiratory disease that causes acute welfare suffering. Calves in inadequately ventilated calf sheds show elevated BRD rates that persist into adult life as reduced respiratory capacity. Welfare-focused housing design prioritises cross-ventilation while preventing drafts at animal level. Housing assessment by veterinary specialists or agricultural consultants identifies rectifiable ventilation problems. Retrofitting air inlets and outlets can dramatically reduce respiratory disease welfare burden in existing buildings.