In today’s economic environment, cattle producers are looking to maximize the performance of each animal. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an economic challenge to all cattle producers.
BRD is the most common and costly disease affecting beef cattle in the world. It is a complex, bacterial infection that causes pneumonia in calves and can possibly be fatal. The infection is usually a sum of three codependent factors: stress, an underlying viral infection, and a new bacterial infection. The diagnosis of the disease is complex since there are multiple possible causes.
The disease manifests itself most often in calves within four weeks of weaning, when calves are sorted and often sold to different farms. This gives it a common nickname, “shipping fever.” It is not known whether the stress itself, co-mingling, or travel conditions are at most to blame, and while studies have identified general stressing factors like transport and cold weather conditions, there is still no conclusive evidence on more specific factors (e.g. distance, transport mode, temperature, or temperature volatility.
During the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City, Russell Nemetz talked with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health's Dr. Craig Jones about BRD and what ranchers should be on the look out for in terms of animal disease prevention.
Source: BIAH & Northern Ag Network
