Mastitis is the most prevalent disease of dairy cattle, causing significant pain; prevention through hygiene, dry cow therapy, and monitoring reduces suffering and production losses simultaneously.
Mastitis represents one of the most prevalent and preventable welfare problems in dairy farming. The pain of clinical mastitis ranges from localized breast tenderness to systemic illness with fever and reduced feed intake. Subclinical mastitis is less visible but involves chronic inflammation and discomfort affecting daily experience. The welfare and economic costs of mastitis are aligned: prevention saves far more in production losses, treatment costs, and culling than it costs. Farms investing in hygiene, teat health monitoring, and appropriate veterinary protocols achieve both better welfare and better economic performance.