Impact of milk feeding levels and housing on the incidence of respiratory disease in young dairy calves

Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continues to be the leading cause of death in feeder cattle, with losses approaching $1 billion annually in North America. In contrast to beef cattle, dairy calves are more likely to be affected with BRD during the pre-weaning (incidence, 58%) and post-weaning (incidence 42%) periods. Additionally, the impact of BRD extends beyond the actual disease episode, with negative effects evident on subsequent productivity and survivability of replacement stock. The ability to identify calves during the initial stages of BRD by behavior monitoring would allow for earlier treatment intervention and potentially decrease the disease's effects on subsequent productivity. Results of recent studies indicate that group housing or daily increased provision of milk decreased the incidence of disease and increased the daily gain. These findings suggest the potential for a positive effect of the social interactions stemming from group or paired housing. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of milk feeding levels and housing on the incidence of BRD in young dairy heifers.