Bovine Respiratory Disease, or BRD, can become a very costly situation quite quickly; one day a calf may appear to be healthy but by the next it could be standing by itself with droopy ears, a lowered head, and more heavy breathing.Many people refer to BRD as “shipping fever” or pneumonia and that is quite reasonable, but BRD is not merely a single disease; it is a disease complex, meaning that stress, immunity, the environment, viruses, and bacteria can all act together at the same time.
That is the reason why weaning season is so important; calves have to cope with a number of changes at the same time such as being separated from their mothers, being transported, having their vaccinations given, being castrated, having their horns removed, being fed on a new type of food, being mixed with other cattle they do not know, and being exposed to new germs.
The greater the amount of stress a calf experiences, the more likely it is to develop BRD.
The good news is that it’s impossible to prevent all cases, but it is possible to reduce the risk; preparing calves before weaning and keeping a close eye on them afterward can save lives, reduce treatment costs, and help protect their performance.
