# Lung scanning for calf pneumonia in Ireland: what the AFBI research means before symptoms show

*Published 2026-10-26 by FarmAI Ireland*

Yes, lung scanning works, and the gap it exposes is real. AFBI scanned 108 calves and found moderate pneumonia in 14.8% of them at 12 to 13 weeks. None of those calves looked sick. Irish research puts the growth cost of hidden lesions at 0.12 kg a day. The scan is a vet job with a pregnancy scanner, and no Irish body has published a price yet.

**Checked 26 October 2026.** Every figure below comes from AFBI, Teagasc, Animal Health Ireland, or a peer-reviewed paper fetched on that date. We have not scanned calves ourselves. This is a review of the published evidence.

## What does a lung scan find that a thermometer and a good eye miss?

Pneumonia in calves is quiet for longer than you think. The lungs get damaged first. The cough, the dull ear and the temperature come later, if they come at all.

A thoracic ultrasound scan looks straight at the lung through the ribs. Healthy lung shows up as a bright line with air behind it. Infected lung fills with fluid and cells, so the scanner sees a solid patch instead. Vets call that consolidation, and they measure it in centimetres.

A thermometer catches fever. The AHI threshold is over 39.5°C. But a calf can carry a lesion with a normal temperature and a normal appetite. Teagasc Grange found that 61% of calves that later went clinical already had lesions on the scan. The median lead time was 10.5 days before anyone could see signs.

Your eye is good at the calf that is already sick. It is poor at the calf that is quietly losing growth. That is the gap the scan fills.

## What did the AFBI research actually measure?

The [AFBI study](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/news/lung-scanning-can-detect-pneumonia-visibly-healthy-calves-afbi-research-finds) ran at Hillsborough, Co. Down, and was published on 8 September 2026. It was part of a wider calf nutrition trial funded by Volac's Feed For Growth. The scanning was done by a vet from Lisburn Veterinary Clinic with portable kit of the kind used for pregnancy scanning.

The numbers that matter:

| What was measured | Result |
|---|---|
| Calves in the study | 108, reared to 13 weeks |
| Visual checks for respiratory signs | Three times a week |
| Scan at five to six weeks | 5.6% had moderate pneumonia (six calves). Only two of the six showed signs |
| Scan at 12 to 13 weeks | 14.8% had moderate pneumonia (16 calves). None showed obvious signs |
| Severe lung damage | None at either scan |

Read that last row again. Sixteen calves out of 108 had moderate pneumonia at three months. Trained staff were watching them three times a week and saw nothing. The AFBI release says scanning lets you treat calves on actual disease severity, not blanket-treat the group.

Two honest caveats. The release does not cite a peer-reviewed paper, so the figures above are AFBI's own summary. And a nutrition trial is not a pneumonia trial. The sample is small and from one research farm.

## How big is the hit on weight gain?

This is where the Irish research is stronger than the AFBI release. Three studies, all on Irish calves, point the same way.

Teagasc Grange ([Cuevas-Gomez and colleagues, 2021](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7992334/)) bought 53 dairy calves from 13 farms and scanned them from arrival to weaning. Lung lesions turned up in 64% of calves. Clinical signs turned up in 43%. The calves with severe lesions grew 0.12 kg a day less than calves with clean lungs. Calves with clinical signs but no severe lesions grew no differently from the healthy ones.

UCD ([Rhodes and colleagues, 2021](https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20207)) followed 317 calves on seven spring-calving farms in 2019. Calves with a scan score of 3 or more grew 126 g a day less over the three weeks before the scan. The clinical score had no link to growth at all. Calves that stayed affected across all three visits were the lightest at 63 days.

Teagasc and UCD ([Scully, Donlon and colleagues, 2026](https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1813534)) went back to 20 heifers scanned at weaning. Ten had hidden consolidation over 1 cm and no clinical signs. Those ten were lighter, with lower daily gains, right through to early gestation. Small study, but the penalty did not wash out.

Put the Grange figure to work. The Grange pre-weaning window was 53 days. At 0.12 kg a day, a calf with severe lesions is about 6 kg lighter at weaning. That is our arithmetic on Teagasc's number, not a Teagasc figure. AHI's [weanling pneumonia leaflet](https://animalhealthireland.ie/assets/uploads/2026/07/Weanling-Pneumonia.pdf) goes further: calves with repeated or severe bouts "may end up stunted for life."

## How common are hidden lesions on Irish farms?

Less common on a good farm than the AFBI figure suggests, and far more common on a bad one.

The largest Irish survey ([Donlon, Mee and McAloon, 2023](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10133517/)) scanned 787 calves on 40 spring-calving dairy farms. The calves were four to six weeks old, the age when pneumonia peaks. Using a strict scan threshold, true prevalence came out at 4%. Loosen the threshold to a score of 2 and it rose to 15%.

The spread between farms is the real finding. Within-herd prevalence ran from 0% to 22%. Eleven of the 40 farms had no case at all. The UCD study found the same: the share of calves with a score of 3 or more ranged from 0% to 50% by farm.

For calf-to-beef buyers there is one more number. Teagasc says [about 15% of dairy-beef calves](https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/key-management-strategies-for-reducing-respiratory-disease-on-dairy-beef-farms/) bought for a recent Grange experiment had lung lesions on the day they were purchased. Some source farms sent far more than others.

## Who can scan calves in Ireland, and what does it cost?

Your vet, and only your vet. The scanner is the same portable unit used for pregnancy scanning, so most large-animal practices already own one. The skill is in reading the image. The 2025 [review by Lindley, Donlon and Buczinski](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12483840/) is blunt about this: there is no agreed scoring system, and accuracy improves with operator training.

Ask your practice two questions. Have they scanned calves for lungs before, and which scoring system do they use. A practice that answers both clearly is the one to book.

On price, we have to be straight with you. Neither AHI nor Teagasc publishes a cost for a scanning visit, and we will not quote a vet's fee we have not seen. In practice you are paying a farm call plus time per calf. Ask for a per-head rate for a batch rather than a one-off.

On the other side of the ledger, no Irish body publishes a euro cost per pneumonia case either. What Teagasc does publish is mortality: [about 3% of calves](https://teagasc.ie/animals/beef/dairy-calf-to-beef/dairybeef-500/dairybeef-500-factsheets/vaccination-programmes-for-calf-to-beef-farms/) die of pneumonia in the first 12 weeks. Add the 0.12 kg a day on the survivors with lesions, the treatment, and your time. The scan does not need to be cheap to be worth it on a farm with a problem.

## What does this change at housing and in spring calf rearing?

Three decisions, in order of how much evidence sits behind them.

**Bought-in calves.** This is the strongest case. About 15% of purchased calves carry lesions on arrival. A scan on day one tells you which pens to watch and which source farm to drop. AHI already tells you to [check rectal temperatures](https://animalhealthireland.ie/assets/uploads/2021/06/CalfCare-Control-of-Pneumonia-Dairy-Calf-2021.pdf) one to two hours after arrival. A scan is the next step up.

**Spring-born calves at four to six weeks.** That is the peak age in the Donlon survey and the first scan point in the AFBI trial. One scan of a pen tells you whether your rearing set-up is clean or carrying a hidden problem. Eleven of 40 farms were clean. If you are one, you can stop worrying. If you are the 22% farm, you have a shed, colostrum or stocking problem to fix, not a vaccine to buy. Your [calving records](/guides/save-time-calving-apps) will tell you which calves to check first.

**Weanlings before housing.** The evidence here is thinner: the 2026 Teagasc and UCD study is 20 heifers. But it found the penalty from hidden lesions at weaning ran on for months. Housing is also when a hidden lesion meets damp, crowding and mixed ages. The [housing checks](/read/housing-cattle-2026-checks-before-the-shed-fills) on vaccine timing and ventilation are where the money is; a scan tells you how urgent they are.

One thing a scan is not. The review is clear that a solid patch on the screen is an imperfect proxy for a bacterial infection that needs an antibiotic. The Grange authors say the same: lesions should not become a tool for treatment on their own. Scan to find the calves, then let the vet decide the treatment.

## Is there any AI that reads the scans yet?

Not on any Irish farm, and not as a product you can buy. We checked.

The one study that exists is from Cornell, [published on 17 September 2026](https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2026-28434). The team trained a deep learning model on 57,704 scan frames from 126 calves on one New York farm. It classified normal lung and large lesions with about 0.98 accuracy. On the small, early lesions that matter most it was weaker, with precision falling to 0.74 when the training data was rebalanced.

That is promising and it is research. One farm, one scanner, one operator's labelling. The same accuracy problem the Lindley review describes for humans, reading small lesions consistently, is the one the model struggles with too. If you want an early warning tool today, the useful AI is in [sensor and behaviour systems](/read/ai-mortality-prediction-dairy-herds-research-plain-english), not in the scan image.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can my vet scan calves for pneumonia in Ireland?**

Yes, if the practice has a portable ultrasound and someone trained to read lung images. The kit is the same as pregnancy scanning. The AFBI scanning was done by a practice vet in Lisburn, not a specialist. Ask whether they scan calves routinely and which scoring system they use.

**How much does calf lung scanning cost?**

Neither Animal Health Ireland nor Teagasc publishes a price, so ask your own practice for a per-head rate on a batch. Set it against the published costs of the disease. Teagasc puts pneumonia mortality at about 3% in the first 12 weeks. Grange found 0.12 kg a day less growth in calves with severe lesions.

**When is the best age to scan calves?**

Four to six weeks is the peak age for pneumonia in Irish spring-calving herds, and it was the first scan point in the AFBI trial. Bought-in calves are worth scanning on arrival, because about 15% carry lesions on the day of purchase. Weanlings before housing is a third option with less evidence behind it.

**Does a positive scan mean the calf needs antibiotics?**

No. A lesion on the screen is an imperfect proxy for a bacterial infection. The Teagasc Grange authors say lesions should not become a treatment tool on their own. The scan finds the calves worth a closer look. Your vet decides treatment, and whether the real fix is the shed.

## The bottom line

Lung scanning does what the AFBI release says it does. It finds pneumonia in calves that look well, and Irish research says those calves grow 0.12 kg a day slower. That is a tool that works.

Whether it works for you depends on one number you do not have yet: how many hidden lesions your own calves carry. Eleven of 40 Irish farms had none. Others ran to one calf in five. One scan of a pen at four to six weeks, or of bought-in calves on arrival, tells you which farm you are. Book it with a vet who can name their scoring system. Do not wait for the AI version; the only one that exists is a study on a single farm in New York.

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## Sources

- [AFBI: Lung scanning can detect pneumonia in visibly healthy calves, 8 September 2026](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/news/lung-scanning-can-detect-pneumonia-visibly-healthy-calves-afbi-research-finds) — 108 calves scanned at five to six and 12 to 13 weeks; 5.6% then 14.8% with moderate pneumonia; none of the 16 showed obvious signs
- [Teagasc: Key management strategies for reducing respiratory disease on dairy-beef farms, 15 March 2025](https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/key-management-strategies-for-reducing-respiratory-disease-on-dairy-beef-farms/) — Grange research: calves with lung lesions gained 0.12 kg/day less; about 15% of purchased dairy-beef calves had lung lesions at purchase
- [Cuevas-Gomez et al., Irish Veterinary Journal, 2021 (Teagasc Grange)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7992334/) — 53 purchased dairy calves: lung lesions in 64%, clinical signs in 43%; lesions a median 10.5 days before signs; severe lesions cost 0.12 kg/day
- [Rhodes et al., Journal of Dairy Science, 2021 (UCD)](https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20207) — 317 calves on seven Irish spring-calving farms: calves with a scan score of 3 or more grew 126 g/day less; clinical scores did not predict growth
- [Donlon, Mee and McAloon, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2023 (UCD and Teagasc)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10133517/) — 787 calves on 40 Irish dairy farms at four to six weeks: true prevalence 4%, within-herd range 0 to 22%, 11 farms clear
- [Lindley, Donlon and Buczinski, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2025](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12483840/) — Narrative review of calf lung scanning: no agreed scoring system, operator training decides accuracy, consolidation is an imperfect proxy for bacterial infection
- [Ferreira et al., Journal of Dairy Science, 17 September 2026 (Cornell)](https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2026-28434) — Deep learning model trained on 57,704 scan frames from 126 calves on one New York farm; 0.98 accuracy overall, weaker on small lesions; research only
- [Scully, Donlon et al., Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8 May 2026 (Teagasc and UCD)](https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1813534) — Heifers with hidden lung consolidation at weaning were lighter, with lower daily gains, through to early gestation
- [Teagasc DairyBeef 500: Vaccination programmes for dairy-beef farms](https://teagasc.ie/animals/beef/dairy-calf-to-beef/dairybeef-500/dairybeef-500-factsheets/vaccination-programmes-for-calf-to-beef-farms/) — Pneumonia mortality is approximately 3% of calves in the first 12 weeks of life
- [Animal Health Ireland: Weanling pneumonia, Beef HealthCheck newsletter, autumn 2026](https://animalhealthireland.ie/assets/uploads/2026/07/Weanling-Pneumonia.pdf) — Calves with repeated or severe pneumonia may be stunted for life; sub-clinical infection may still reduce growth; fever is over 39.5°C
- [Animal Health Ireland: Control of pneumonia in dairy calves (CalfCare leaflet)](https://animalhealthireland.ie/assets/uploads/2021/06/CalfCare-Control-of-Pneumonia-Dairy-Calf-2021.pdf) — Permanent lung damage and pleurisy behind poor growth; check the rectal temperature of bought-in calves one to two hours after arrival

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*Source: [FarmAI Ireland](https://farmai.ie/read/lung-scanning-calf-pneumonia-afbi-research)*