Eliminating commingling of cattle from various sources at weaning and shipment. Observe freshly weaned calves or new arrivals at the lot several times daily. Watch cattle closely for signs of sickness. Isolate sick cattle in a separate pen. Develop a sound nutritional program for incoming cattle which will ensure that cattle adapt easily to eating from a feed bunk.
Poor nutrition can compromise the animal's ability to fight disease.
Summary Prevention, rather than treatment, of BRD is the primary objective of a herd health management plan. To be successful in combating BRD, a well thought out treatment plan needs to be in place. Components of the plan should include prevention, disease detection, diagnostics, monitoring for treatment failures and treatment plans. Good records will allow analysis of these activities and help determine if the herd health management plan is meeting your goals and expectations. Finally, the people who care for these animals must be properly trained, motivated, and assigned a reasonable workload.