Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD): Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Quick answer: Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), also called shipping fever, is the single most costly disease in the U.S. cattle industry — responsible for 70–80% of feedlot morbidity and about half of feedlot deaths. Early symptoms include separation from the herd, drooping ears, nasal discharge, and rectal temperature above 103.5°F. Treatment is an injectable broad-spectrum antibiotic plus an NSAID; treated within 24 hours, recovery rates exceed 90%.
What Is Bovine Respiratory Disease?
Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is not one disease — it's a complex of viral and bacterial infections that attack the cattle respiratory tract, usually when the immune system is compromised by stress. The industry has called it "shipping fever" for over a century because it so frequently follows weaning, transport, and receiving stress. Today, BRD affects roughly 16% of all U.S. beef calves in the year following weaning, and it's the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in feedlots.
The typical BRD case follows a predictable pattern: a stress event (weaning, shipping, weather change, ration change) suppresses the calf's immune system; a viral pathogen (BRSV, IBR, BVD, or PI3) damages the lung tissue; and an opportunistic bacterial infection (Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni, or Mycoplasma bovis) explodes into pneumonia. Without early intervention, the lung damage becomes permanent, treatment failures multiply, and the animal either dies or spends the rest of its life as a chronic poor-doer.
Causes & Risk Factors
BRD is almost always the result of stress plus pathogen exposure, not either alone. Understanding the risk factors lets you cut BRD incidence by 50–70% through management changes alone — before any antibiotic is drawn up.
The stress triggers
- Weaning — separation from the dam, feed change, novel environment
- Transportation — long haul, mixing with strange cattle, dehydration
- Weather extremes — sudden cold snaps, wet muddy conditions, heat stress
- Diet changes — abrupt switch from forage to grain, or vice versa
- Commingling — mixing calves from multiple sources multiplies pathogen exposure
- Overcrowding — pen density above recommended levels amplifies transmission
The pathogens
| Pathogen | Type | Role |
|---|---|---|
| BRSV (Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus) | Virus | Damages lung lining, opens door for bacteria |
| IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis) | Virus | Upper airway inflammation, tracheitis |
| BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhea) | Virus | Immunosuppression, systemic effects |
| PI3 (Parainfluenza-3) | Virus | Predisposes to bacterial infection |
| Mannheimia haemolytica | Bacteria | Most common cause of severe pneumonia |
| Pasteurella multocida | Bacteria | Second most common bacterial pathogen |
| Histophilus somni | Bacteria | Can cause sudden death, pneumonia, meningitis |
| Mycoplasma bovis | Bacteria | Chronic pneumonia, poor treatment response |
Early Symptoms & Severity Levels
The single most important skill in BRD management is catching it early. A calf treated within 24 hours of the first symptoms recovers 90%+ of the time; a calf treated at 72 hours drops below 50%. Learn the earliest behavioral signs and check daily.
Mild / Early
- Separated from herd
- Drooping ears
- Dull eyes
- Slightly reduced feed intake
- Temperature 103.5–104°F
Moderate
- Clear or cloudy nasal discharge
- Mild cough
- Rapid breathing at rest
- Off-feed noticeably
- Temperature 104–105°F
Severe
- Purulent (thick) nasal discharge
- Deep, wet cough
- Labored breathing, extended neck
- Refusing feed and water
- Temperature above 105°F
Run the "4-D" observation on every group daily: Depression (posture, ear position, alertness), Discharge (nose, eyes), Difficulty breathing (respiratory rate and effort), and Drop in feed intake. Any two of these signs warrant a temperature check.
Treatment Protocol Step-by-Step
The following protocol reflects current best practice as of 2027, but every operation should establish this with their own veterinarian under a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) — antibiotic prescriptions require it, and your local pathogen susceptibility patterns should shape drug choice.
Step 1: Identify and isolate
Move the sick animal to a hospital pen with clean bedding, quality hay, and easy water access. This reduces stress on the sick animal and slows transmission to pen-mates.
Step 2: Take a rectal temperature
Anything above 103.5°F in an adult or 103°F in a calf confirms fever and justifies treatment. Record the temperature on the animal's chart along with the date and time.
Step 3: Administer a broad-spectrum antibiotic
Common first-line BRD antibiotics (all require veterinary prescription and follow specific withdrawal times):
| Antibiotic | Class | Route | Duration of action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draxxin (tulathromycin) | Macrolide | SC, single dose | Up to 8 days |
| Nuflor (florfenicol) | Amphenicol | IM or SC | Up to 5 days |
| Micotil (tilmicosin) | Macrolide | SC only | Up to 3 days |
| Excede (ceftiofur CFA) | Cephalosporin | SC in ear | Up to 7 days |
| Baytril 100 (enrofloxacin) | Fluoroquinolone | SC | Up to 5 days |
Step 4: Administer an NSAID
Flunixin meglumine (Banamine) at label dose reduces fever, lung inflammation, and endotoxin effects. NSAIDs should be given alongside the antibiotic for severe cases — they measurably improve outcomes and get animals back to feed faster.
Step 5: Monitor and reassess
Take a temperature 48 hours after treatment. If the fever hasn't broken (above 103°F persisting), retreat with a different antibiotic class or call your veterinarian. Chronic BRD (repeated treatment failures) usually means Mycoplasma bovis or advanced lung damage — the animal may be a chronic and should be culled to prevent shedding to pen-mates.
Never use over-the-counter antibiotics without a veterinary prescription — this is now illegal for medically important antibiotics under FDA GFI #263 (in effect since June 2023). Never use human antibiotics on cattle. Never treat "just in case" without a fever confirmation — mass treatment accelerates antibiotic resistance and violates BQA guidelines.
Prevention & Vaccination
Prevention beats treatment on every metric — economic, welfare, and antibiotic stewardship. The three foundation pillars of BRD prevention are vaccination, stress reduction, and nutrition.
Vaccination timing
- Branding (2–4 months): First dose of respiratory 5-way (IBR/BVD/PI3/BRSV) + Mannheimia/Pasteurella
- Pre-weaning (45–60 days before wean): Booster of the respiratory 5-way
- Weaning: Second booster
- Feedlot arrival: Re-vaccinate all newly arrived cattle at processing
See our complete Cattle Vaccination Schedule for the full annual protocol.
Preconditioning premiums pay for vaccine cost
Certified preconditioning programs (weaned 45+ days, two rounds of respiratory vaccines) command $8–$15/cwt premiums at auction — $44–$82 per calf on a 550-lb weaner. Vaccine and labor cost is typically $30–$40 per calf. Net gain: $30–$50 per calf and dramatically lower BRD incidence at the receiving end.
Stress reduction — the free intervention
- Fence-line wean instead of abrupt separation
- Give at least 21 days between weaning and shipping
- Precondition on quality forage plus mineral before transport
- Avoid mixing cattle from multiple sources in one pen
- Provide 30+ inches of bunk space per animal
- Ensure clean water and clean bedding
The Economic Cost of BRD
BRD costs the U.S. cattle industry an estimated $800 million to $1.5 billion per year. On a per-animal basis:
| Cost category | Per treated animal |
|---|---|
| Direct treatment (antibiotic + NSAID + labor) | $60–$150 |
| Reduced weight gain (ADG drop) | $30–$80 |
| Second-treatment cases | +$50–$100 |
| Death loss (~5–10% of treated cases) | Full animal value |
| Lower carcass grade at slaughter | $40–$120 |
The math is unforgiving. A 100-head backgrounding lot with a 20% BRD incidence rate loses roughly $3,500–$7,500 in a single receiving cycle. Preventing that with a $30/head vaccination program is one of the highest-ROI decisions in the cattle business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first sign of BRD in cattle?
The earliest observable sign is behavioral — a normally active calf separates from the group, drops its head, and shows reduced feed intake, often 12–24 hours before a fever appears. Clear or watery nasal discharge, mild coughing, and drooping ears follow. A rectal temperature above 103.5°F confirms the fever and warrants treatment.
How do you treat BRD in cattle?
Standard treatment is a broad-spectrum injectable antibiotic (Draxxin, Nuflor, Micotil, or Excede) prescribed by your veterinarian, plus an NSAID like flunixin (Banamine) to reduce fever and lung inflammation. Isolate the sick animal, provide clean water and quality feed, and monitor temperature daily. Retreat if the fever hasn't broken within 48 hours.
How long does BRD take to kill a cow?
Untreated severe BRD can kill a calf within 3–7 days of the first fever. Acute cases sometimes progress to death within 48 hours if the animal was already stressed and the pathogen is highly virulent. Early treatment within 12–24 hours carries a 90%+ recovery rate; treatment after 3 days drops recovery to 50% or less.
Can BRD spread to humans?
The primary BRD pathogens are cattle-specific and do not cause disease in humans. Standard biosecurity is still recommended when handling sick animals, but BRD is not zoonotic.
How much does BRD cost cattle producers?
BRD costs the U.S. cattle industry $800 million to $1.5 billion per year. Per animal, treatment costs $60–$150, plus $30–$80 in reduced gain. A single BRD outbreak can wipe out an entire year's margin on a small feedlot.
This guide is part of the full Cattle Health & Disease pillar — covering every major disease, vaccination schedules, parasites, and emergency response.
Return to Cattle Health Hub →This article is educational and does not replace veterinary care. All antibiotic use in cattle requires a prescription from a licensed veterinarian under a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR). Follow all label directions and withdrawal times.