The anatomy and physiology of the bovine respiratory system relating to pulmonary disease.

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.