Mastitis — inflammation of the udder — is the most common and costly disease in dairy production worldwide, causing significant pain and welfare compromise in millions of cows annually.
Mastitis causes significant pain that impairs normal functioning across the duration of disease. Clinical cases are clearly painful: affected cows preferentially keep weight off affected limbs, are reluctant to be milked, show reduced social interaction, and demonstrate physiological stress markers. The welfare impact of subclinical mastitis — occurring without visible clinical signs but detectable through somatic cell counts — is less obvious but meaningful: chronic low-grade inflammation causes ongoing discomfort. Inadequate analgesia use means many cows experience mastitis pain without effective treatment. The frequency and recurrent nature of the condition in high-producing dairy environments means some cows spend significant portions of their productive lives in disease-related pain. Welfare-focused dairy management prioritizes mastitis prevention through environment and hygiene, and mandates NSAID use for all clinical cases.