Prevalence of respiratory disorders in veal calves and potential risk factors
Open accessAbstract
The study aimed to assess the in vivo and postmortem prevalence of respiratory disorders in veal calves and investigate risk factors associated with them. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 174 farms in the 3 major veal meat-producing countries in Europe (50 in France, 100 in the Netherlands, and 24 in Italy). Trained veterinarians visually evaluated individual calves of 1 batch per farm at 3 and 13 wk after arrival and at 2 wk before slaughter to assess the prevalence of hampered respiration, nasal discharge, and coughing. A random sample of lungs belonging to calves of the same batch was monitored at the slaughterhouse for mild to moderate or severe signs of pneumonia, and presence of pleuritis. Data regarding veal calf housing, feeding, and management and specific characteristics of the batch were collected through an interview with the stockperson, and the potential of these as respiratory disease risk factors was assessed. Regardless of the stage of fattening, the prevalence of in vivo signs of respiratory disorders in calves was always <7%. This low prevalence was likely the outcome of the general implementation by veal producers of standardized practices such as prophylaxis, all-in/all-out, and individual daily checks of the calves, which are recognized tools for effective disease prevention and management. However, at postmortem inspection, 13.9% and 7.7% of lungs showed mild to moderate and severe signs of pneumonia, respectively, and 21.4% of the inspected lungs had pleuritis. Thus, even mild clinical signs of respiratory disorder in calves at specific time points during the fattening period may be associated with high prevalence of lungs with lesions at slaughter. Alternatively, clinical symptoms recorded during routine visual inspections of veal calves on-farm may be poor predictors of the true prevalence of respiratory disease in calves. Among all potential risk factors considered, those concerning the characteristics of the batch were predominant but factors related to housing, management and feeding equipment were also relevant. Different risk factors were involved at different stages of the fattening period. Therefore, to overcome respiratory disorders in veal calves, different solutions may apply to different stages of the fattening period.
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The actual incidence of BRD may be higher than reported since one-third of calves exhibited extensive pneumonia at necropsy without a prior diagnosis.
“Notwithstanding these figures, the actual incidence of BRD may be higher than reported since one-third of calves exhibited extensive pneumonia at necropsy without a prior diagnosis [128,129].”
From Strategies for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Comprehensive Overview (2024) · cites this paper as [129]
The section on prevalence recorded in vivo and at postmortem inspection says clinical checks may miss respiratory disease and that lung lesions were more common than observed clinical signs. It reports severe pneumonia in 7.7% of inspected lungs, however, not extensive pneumonia in one-third of calves; it also does not establish that those calves had no prior diagnosis. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe impact of altered physiological status and health of calves during and after transport is triggered by a combination of factors including reduced feed and water intake, increased physiological and physical stressors, muscle fatigue and immunosuppression.
“The impact of altered physiological status and health of calves during and after transport has been well documented and has been shown to be triggered by a combination of factors including a reduction in feed and water intake, and increased physiological and physical stressors, muscle fatigue and immunosuppression [3–9].”
From Observational study: effect of varying transport durations and feed withdrawal on the physiological status and health of dairy calves (2025) · cites this paper as [5]
The Introduction says calves are transported to fattening units and that mixing during collection, transportation, and housing exposes them to infection. The Risk Factors for Respiratory Disorders section links low body weight at arrival to possibly poorer energy or immunological status, but does not establish that transport-related health changes are triggered by reduced feed and water intake, muscle fatigue, or the stated combination of stressors. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredHigher BW at arrival is associated with decreased mortality and infection risk, as well as higher growth rates.
“Higher BW is associated with decreased mortality [48, 49] and infection risk [25, 50, 51], as well as higher growth rates [52, 53].”
From Effects of age and feeding protocols on the metabolic and physiological condition of unweaned calves during and after long-distance transport (2026) · cites this paper as [51]
The Risk Factors for Respiratory Disorders section (page unavailable) reports that calves with lower BW at arrival had more hampered respiration than heavier calves at 3 weeks, but BW was not a significant risk factor at later inspections. This supports a narrower association with an early respiratory sign, not a general reduction in infection risk. The mortality and growth claims have separate citations in the citing sentence and are not attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe occurrence of BRD in feedlot calves aligns with an average prevalence rate of 17.0%, although estimates range from 4.6% to 43.8%.
“The occurrence of BRD in feedlot calves aligns with an average prevalence rate of 17.0%, although estimates range from 4.6% to 43.8%.”
From Strategies for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Diagnosis and Prognosis: A Comprehensive Overview (2024) · cites this paper as [129]
The Abstract and the section ‘Prevalence of Respiratory Disorders Recorded In Vivo and at Postmortem Inspection’ report findings for veal calves, including in vivo signs below 7% and separate postmortem lung findings. A search of our full-text copy found no 17.0% average or 4.6%–43.8% range for BRD in feedlot calves; the paper’s different measures do not establish or refute that broader estimate. (LLM, conf=0.75)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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“Higher BW is associated with decreased mortality [48, 49] and infection risk [25, 50, 51], as well as higher growth rates [52, 53].”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Brscic, M., Leruste, H., Heutinck, L. F. M., Bokkers, E. A. M., Wolthuis-Fillerup, M., Stockhofe, N., Gottardo, F., Lensink, B. J., Cozzi, G., & Van Reenen, C. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Padua (IT)
- JUNIA (FR)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Brscic, M.
- Venue
- Journal of Dairy Science
- Publisher
- American Dairy Science Association
- Published
- 2012-05
- Volume
- 95
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 2753-2764
- ISSN
- 0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2160002645
- Cited by
- 114
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- “Welfare Quality: Science and society improving animal welfare in the food quality chain”
- Dutch, French, and Italian veal producers
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Microbial infections and disease research
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal health and immunology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Keywords
- veal calves, respiratory diseases, prevalence, risk factors, bovine pneumonia, pleurisy, rhinorrhea, cough, all-in/all-out management, prophylaxis, calf housing, fattening period
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animals, Newborn, Cattle, Cattle Diseases, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dairying, Female, France, Italy, Male, Netherlands, Respiratory Tract Diseases, Risk Factors, Prevalence
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