Bovine Respiratory Disease: The Importance of Early Detection

One of the most common and costly health problems dairy producers face is Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), often referred to as pneumonia or “shipping fever,” an acute, stress-related form that can develop after transport.

BRD is not caused by a single factor. Known as the bovine respiratory disease complex, it results from a combination of stress, viruses and bacteria that can quickly impact healthy calves.

“The most common BRD symptoms include coughing, fever and labored breathing,” says Lori Nagel, DVM, CowManager Performance Specialist. “Calves may lose their appetite, lie down more, experience a change in temperature, and generally look dull.”

The challenge for producers is that by the time visible signs are evident, the disease is often already advanced. Early detection and timely treatment are critical to improving outcomes and reducing losses.

“Calves that battle pneumonia often struggle to catch up in growth, which impacts their long-term performance,” Dr. Nagel explains. “Cattle have a relatively limited lung capacity in proportion to their body weight. This is why it’s crucial to maintain good lung health throughout their life. Issues like BRD can lead to higher veterinary costs and even calf mortality. And for those calves that survive, the result is lower milk yields as a cow.”

According to Dr. Nagel, detecting BRD early can be difficult, even for the most seasoned calf managers. While outward signs such as coughing, nasal discharge, or falling behind the rest of the group may indicate illness, cattle by nature are experts at hiding weaknesses. That’s what makes early-stage detection especially challenging.

To address those challenges, Laura Raatz, co-owner and herd manager of Wagner Farms, a 950-cow family farm located in Oconto Falls, Wis., turned to CowManager, a cow monitoring system to help identify health issues early. “When we first installed the system, we actually had a case of pneumonia go through the calves, and CowManager identified it before we saw visual signs,” says Raatz. “The system helps us catch sick calves early, even when they appear healthy. That’s critical, because once calves show signs of distress, it may already be too late.”

Wagner Farms utilizes CowManager’s Youngstock Monitor to track calf health. The system collects detailed data on ear temperature, eating and rumination time, behavior and activity. It flags any abnormalities and alerts producers when a calf may be at risk for illness, allowing for earlier intervention.

“This approach supports earlier treatment, which improves recovery rates, reduces antibiotic use, and ultimately lowers mortality,” says Dr. Nagel. “Healthier calves grow into healthier, more productive cows.”

While monitoring technology is a valuable tool, Dr. Nagel emphasizes that it works best alongside strong management practices. “Effective BRD prevention includes ensuring calves receive high-quality colostrum, reducing stress during weaning and transport, maintaining proper ventilation, limiting group changes, and following vaccination protocols,” says Dr. Nagel. “When good management is combined with technology like CowManager’s Youngstock Monitor, it’s the best defense against BRD.”

For Raatz, the CowManager system has helped improve their overall herd’s health. “By pinpointing and finding calves that are not feeling well sooner, we’re able to get them feeling better faster, before they become truly sick or chronic,” says Raatz. “This technology ensures that our calves stay healthy, happy and thriving.”

For more information on CowManager, contact your CowManager Specialist at Select Sires or visit CowManager.com.

At CowManager, we believe a successful dairy producer is a prepared dairy producer. With our revolutionary cow monitoring ear sensors, we ensure they’re always ahead and prepared for what’s coming, with actionable insights. We believe in working together to help dairy farmers reach their goals, whatever their ambitions are. Whether they have 20 or 20,000 cows; with CowManager they’ll have eyes on all of them. In the United States, CowManager is distributed and supported by Select Sires Inc.