Mastitis, inflammation of the udder, is one of the most common diseases in dairy cows and a major source of chronic pain that significantly compromises welfare.
Mastitis causes pain ranging from mild discomfort in subclinical cases to severe systemic illness in peracute cases. Cows with mastitis reduce feed intake, show pain behaviors including kicking during milking, and have reduced milk yield. Chronic mastitis causes recurring painful episodes throughout the lactation. While antibiotic treatment is effective for many cases, prevention is superior both for welfare and for antimicrobial stewardship. Dry cow therapy, milking hygiene, and cubicle management are the primary preventative tools.