Capitalizing on Hygiene: Financial Returns of Environmental Biosecurity against Bovine Neonatal Diarrhea

Abstract

Despite extensive clinical research on bovine neonatal diarrhea (BND), the financial value of environmental biosecurity as a preventive investment remains insufficiently evaluated. This study assesses the financial returns and production implications of systematic cleaning and disinfection protocols in neonatal calf facilities. An integrative systematic review of epidemiological evidence published over the past decade was combined with stochastic microeconomic modeling using commercial production budgets. The model evaluated return on investment (ROI) and net present value (NPV). The analysis indicated that high-intensity environmental sanitation costs represented less than 3% of a neonatal calf’s baseline commercial value, whereas reactive disease management increased variable rearing costs by 35–40%. Low-pathogen environments were associated with an 18–25% increase in average daily gain. Financial simulations indicated favorable returns from preventive environmental biosecurity, supporting its treatment as a strategic investment in calf health and production. By integrating epidemiological evidence with financial modeling, the study provides a framework for evaluating the economic benefits of sanitation in neonatal calf management. This framework may inform farm investment decisions and help agricultural credit institutions design incentives for infrastructure-based biosecurity improvements. Further research could examine the economic trade-offs between preventive biosecurity investments and antimicrobial stewardship.