Mastitis is the most common and costly disease in dairy cows, causing significant pain and welfare compromise that remains inadequately addressed across the sector.
Cows with clinical mastitis experience significant pain that affects their ability to stand, move, and rest normally. Subclinical mastitis causes chronic low-level welfare compromise that is invisible without milk testing. Regular somatic cell count monitoring, good milking hygiene, and rapid treatment of clinical cases are essential for mastitis welfare management in dairy herds.