Mastitis — infection of the udder — is the most common and costly disease in dairy cattle worldwide. It causes significant pain and is largely preventable with good management.
Mastitis causes acute and chronic pain in dairy cattle — the udder becomes hot, swollen, and extremely sensitive. Affected cows show reduced feed intake, reluctance to be milked, and postural changes to reduce pressure on the udder. Treatment with antibiotics improves welfare but requires withdrawal periods. Prevention through improved milking hygiene, housing, and teat condition management is both more effective and more welfare-positive than reliance on treatment. Welfare-focused herds monitor somatic cell counts as an early mastitis indicator.