Treatment is difficult because the added stress of working the calves may be exposed while working all the calves together. Early detection and individual treatment may be effective. Still, the best alternative is prevention. Sound management and a good herd health and vaccination program will reduce the chances of your calves contracting respiratory infection. Recognize that the critical period for detection of BRD is the three weeks immediately following weaning, placing on feed or shipping calves, or environmental stress, heat and cold.
Vaccines are available for several of the respiratory infection diseases.
However, the available combinations and various brands make the choice very complicated. Consult your veterinarian on a vaccination program as part of your herd health program. Summer pneumonia can be very costly in terms of medication, labor and death losses. Reducing stress is about the only management alternative available unless you have a vaccination program to provide some immunity to the disease causing agents.