Abstract: | Bovine respiratory anatomy and physiology were reviewed and considered in relationship to the pathogenesis of pulmonary disease. Factors which may predispose cattle to respiratory disease included a small physiological gaseous exchange capacity, greater basal ventilatory activity, and greater anatomical compartmentalization of the lung as compared with other mammals, a low level and atypical bioactivity of bovine lysozyme, and low numbers of macrophages within the alveolar lumen. |