Immunology of Beef Stocker Cattle

Inflammation and immunity in stocker cattle are active areas of research, but much remains poorly defined. Evidence to date indicates stocker cattle undergo rapid immunological transitions during stressful events such as weaning, moving through marketing channels, transport, commingling, and nutritional adaptation. These events appear to activate neuroendocrine stress pathways and systemic inflammatory responses while simultaneously depressing protective functions, especially those mediated by innate immune cells. This leads to a short, high-risk period where viral exposure, bacterial colonization, and dysregulated host responses converge to influence bovine respiratory disease and other disease outcomes.