“One cough is enough”: Rethinking respiratory health and antimicrobial use

The Veal Cattle Health series offers producers practical, easy-to-use strategies that make a real difference on the farm. 

In this episode, Dr. Bart Pardon of the University of Ghent in Belgium walks us through early detection and intervention strategies for calf respiratory diseases, particularly pneumonia. He delves into the significance of using lung ultrasounds and improving calf management and transportation to prevent disease. Dr. Pardon highlights the need for reducing antimicrobial use and promoting animal health through better diagnostic tools and vaccination protocols. 

Dr. Bart Pardon is a veterinarian and associate professor of large animal internal medicine at Ghent University in Belgium. He is a European Board of Veterinary Specialization-recognized specialist in bovine health management. In addition to his work in the clinic, Dr. Pardon offers herd health consulting in the areas of calf health and infectious diseases. His research group works on calf health, specifically respiratory disease, with a focus on improved diagnostics and decision support tools to ultimately reduce antimicrobial use. Dr. Pardon has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications and in 2023 co-founded qTUS, a UGhent spin-off company, bringing his work on the control of respiratory disease to practice with emphasis on training in lung ultrasonography.