Bovine Calf Pneumonia Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), commonly referred to as calf pneumonia or "shipping fever," is the most common and costly disease affecting North American cattle. It is a multifactorial syndrome involving complex interactions between environmental stressors, host factors, and multiple infectious pathogens.

Aspiration pneumonia results from inhalation of foreign material into the lower respiratory tract. It requires special consideration due to its unique etiology and guarded prognosis.

Etiology and Pathophysiology

Viral Pathogens

Viral infections initiate disease by damaging respiratory epithelium and suppressing immune defenses.