BRD, or bovine respiratory disease, is a general term for respiratory disease in cattle. A range of factors can cause this disease. The common names normally used for this disease is pneumonia or shipping fever. Stocker and feedlot operations is often where this disease occurs.
This disease has multiple different causes and develops as a result of complex interactions between different factors. Things such as environmental factors, host factors, and pathogens. The environmental factors are things like weaning, transport, commingling, and crowding to name a few. These factors serve as stressors that adversely affect the immune system of calves.
While feedlot and stocker operations are normally affected by this it can also happen to cow/calf producers. Almost 20% of cow/calf operations experience nursing-calf pneumonia. It is the leading cause of death for calves 3 weeks of age and older. To keep your calves right on track consider these 4 tips to keep BRD under control.
What is BRD?
Bovine respiratory disease is a multifactorial disease of welfare and economic significance to the feedlot industry globally. It affects the lower respiratory tract/lungs (pneumonia) or upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, bronchitis).
It is known as a “disease complex” in that it is usually 3 factors working together to cause it. Stress, viral infection, and bacterial infection are what causes it. BRD normally impacts in the first 4 weeks after weaning and can be fatal.
Impact of BRD
This disease is the #1 cause of feedlot death in North America. It accounts for approximately 75% of feedlot morbidity and 50-70% of all feedlot deaths.
The majority of deaths due to BRD occur shortly after arrival to the feedlot or within the first 45 days. The NAHMS has reported that about 91% of calves diagnosed with BRD were diagnosed within the first 27 days after arrival.
This study conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System reports that the direct cost of respiratory disease in feedlot cattle is $23.60 per case. The total cost for treating respiratory disease is estimated to be $54.12 million when using their number. This number however does not include production loss due to morbidity and mortality.
Symptoms
When it comes to diagnosing this disease timing is very important. The sooner that you can diagnose the sooner that you will be able to treat. A good acronym that you can use for diagnosing is known as D.A.R.T.
- Depression: A sick calf will have droopy ears and hold it’s head lower than normal. The calf also may move stiffly with it’s tail slightly tucked.
- Appetite: At feeding time, watch carefully for animals that are slow to come to eat or have reduced appetite. This is one of those cases where knowing your calves’ normal behavior is important. Some calves are naturally timid coming to the bunk so use your best judgement.
- Respiration: Look for abnormal patterns such as exaggerated, heavy breathing, flared nostrils and a soft persistent cough
- Temperature: This is the only objective measurement in this system. A normal temperature for a calf is going to be around 102 degrees Fahrenheit. If the calf is running a temperature above 104 degrees it may be eligible for treatment
Treating this disease
When it comes to looking at BRD treatment options there are some key considerations that can lead to better treatment options
- Ensure that your antibiotic provides coverage for the 4 bacterial pathogens that cause this disease. This is where talking with your veterinarian will come in handy.
- The treatment should be proven to reach the lungs quickly and be effective for a long period of time. It is important for producers to visually observe that the calf has responded to the antibiotic and is showing signs of improvement.
- Good record keeping is important. Record keeping helps communicate the treatment status of animal working on the operation. This ensures proper withdrawal times are followed. It also helps to know which antibiotic was used previously in case a calf will need a 2nd treatment.
- Working closely with a veterinarian is critical to the success of any protocol. If you are looking for ways to improve your treatment protocols I talked about how in a previous post ” How to develop outstanding treatment protocols”. A veterinarian is going to be able to evaluate records and help to make informed treatment decisions or changes.
Preventing this disease from happening in the first place
A common turn of phrase that you may have heard many times is that ” an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This line of thinking is that it is cheaper to prevent the disease from happening in the first place over having to treat it. This is a good strategy to follow when dealing with BRD. Here are 4 things that you can use to prevent this disease from happening in the first place.
- Reduce stress at all costs: Investing a bit more to ensure the receiving health of your cattle will pay dividends when it comes to BRD. This begins with providing a good, clean environment with as little overcrowding and dust as possible. Provide sufficient bedding as well so the animals can get a much needed rest.
- Provide good nutrition early and often: When it comes to nutrition water is a critical first nutrient. After a long stressful trip getting cattle clean water as quickly as possible will help them acclimate quicker. Secondly you want to provide a highly palatable, nutrient dense feed. Providing the right micronutrients to maximize health and performance is also critical.
- Establish a vaccination program: Providing a good pre-emptive vaccine for your calves will go a long way in preventing this disease from popping up in the first place.
- Use your tools wisely: The thing to remember here is that cattle are animals of prey which means that they will do everything they can not to appear sick or wounded. Having a skilled eye to spot any potential symptoms is very important. It can be between 3-5 days from when an animal begins to experience the symptoms and when those symptoms can be visibly detected.
