In stressed commingled calves entering the fatteners facility, the bovine respiratory disease complex as a multifactorial syndrome causes high morbidity and mortality. Vaccination represents one of the basically accepted and necessary management tools for prevention. Nonetheless, having in mind the unique production system of veal calves and bulls in Switzerland, no stringent and evidence-based recommendations exist in respect to the necessity, efficacy and safety of vaccination protocols, i. e., the most appropriate type of vaccine (modified live vs. inactivated vaccine), frequency of vaccination, route of administration (intranasal vs. parenteral) and specific return on investment are a matter of ongoing debate. Thus, a prospective blinded field study is suggested to evaluate the effects of different vaccination protocols on the immunological response and clinical outcome on representative Swiss calf raising farms. Results will provide independent and evidence-based information for veterinarians in order to replace excessive use of antibiotics in calves by preventive tools.