Mastitis is the most costly and painful disease in dairy cattle, causing significant suffering that is often undertreated and preventable through management and hygiene interventions.
Mastitis causes substantial and widespread pain in dairy cows, yet remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in many commercial operations due to the high treatment cost and detection challenges of subclinical forms. Cows with clinical mastitis — swollen, painful udders causing lameness-like behavioral changes — represent only the visible fraction of a larger population experiencing chronic subclinical pain. Anti-inflammatory treatment alongside antibiotics reduces suffering but is inconsistently applied. Prevention through housing hygiene, milking protocols, and teat health monitoring is both welfare-positive and economically beneficial, creating strong alignment between animal welfare and farm profitability.