Chronic disease in farm animals causes long-term suffering affecting millions of animals; prevention through welfare improvement is more effective than treatment.
Chronic disease in farm animals represents an enormous ongoing welfare burden that is frequently invisible to consumers and under-addressed by producers. Lameness, respiratory disease, parasitism, and metabolic conditions cause chronic pain, reduced quality of life, and premature death across billions of animals. Prevention through welfare-positive management is more effective and economical than treatment after disease is established.