Why are cattle so prone to respiratory issues?
In all domesticated species, cattle have the smallest relative lung capacity.
For context, humans have 6 litres, horses can have over 50 litres and cattle have between 12-13 litres.
As a result, their respiratory systems are under constant pressure. Stress weakens their immune defences, potentially allowing infections to take over.
While we as farmers associate stress with excessive handling, transport or weaning - times when an animal might be visibly uneasy, stressors can take much more simple forms from the animal's point of view.
Lungworm is a direct stressor on the respiratory system and if left untreated can lead to clinical pneumonia, the biggest killer of cattle in the UK and Ireland today.
Read more
Why are cattle so prone to respiratory issues?
In all domesticated species, cattle have the smallest relative lung capacity.
For context, humans have 6 litres, horses can have over 50 litres and cattle have between 12-13 litres.
As a result, their respiratory systems are under constant pressure. Stress weakens their immune defences, potentially allowing infections to take over.
While we as farmers associate stress with excessive handling, transport or weaning - times when an animal might be visibly uneasy, stressors can take much more simple forms from the animal's point of view.
Lungworm is a direct stressor on the respiratory system and if left untreated can lead to clinical pneumonia, the biggest killer of cattle in the UK and Ireland today.
Read more