PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Bovine respiratory disease is a costly disease for the cattle industry, and when it isn’t treated effectively it can lead to repulls and increased treatment and labor costs. Respiratory tract damage can also compromise animal performance for the rest of the feeding period.
There are two questions to ask when thinking about BRD management: First and foremost, what can we do to keep that animal healthy, and second, how do we get the highest treatment success when we do have to treat the animal?
“The earlier we can intervene into a disease process, the better,” said Doug Hilbig, DVM, Beef Technical Services, Zoetis. “Think about all of the things that we can do the first day we own that calf to prevent it from ever having a problem.”
Including a veterinarian to assist with BRD management can help bring success to the health and well-being of cattle and the operation, Dr. Hilbig said. Using a product that helps to protect against all BRD-causing pathogens will also help protect against this costly disease.
“The veterinarian is a crucial part of your operation,” said Clark Price, owner at River Ranch, Hensler, N.D. “At our operation, we’re taking care of the animals in the best way that we can do it. The cattle I buy usually are directly off the cow, so they’re needing a little extra care.”
Successful BRD treatments can have a positive impact across the entire operation. For more about this, watch this video or speak to your veterinarian or Zoetis representative about BRD Solutions.
— Zoetis