Efficacy of tildipirosin metaphylaxis for the prevention of respiratory disease, otitis and mortality in pre-weaned Holstein calves

•The macrolide tildipirosin was evaluated as a metaphylactic treatment in dairy heifers during the pre-weaning period.•One or two doses of tildipirosin were administered to high risk group-housed dairy heifers in a randomized clinical trial.•Tildipirosin metaphylaxis reduced the combined incidence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and/or otitis.•Metaphylaxis had no effect on growth rate (average daily gain), BRD alone, otitis alone or mortality.