Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of death in young cattle and causes significant welfare suffering that is largely preventable through management and vaccination.
Calves with BRD experience fever, laboured breathing, and profound weakness that prevents normal feeding and social behaviour. Untreated BRD causes rapid deterioration with high mortality. Surviving calves with chronic lung damage experience permanent welfare impairment from reduced respiratory capacity. Prevention through adequate colostrum management, appropriate vaccination, stress reduction, and housing quality is both welfare-positive and economically rational. Welfare-focused BRD management prioritises early detection through daily health scoring and prompt veterinary treatment at first signs.