Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), commonly called pink eye, is the most common ocular disease of cattle. Caused by Moraxella bovis, it causes corneal ulceration, intense pain, and potential permanent blindness if untreated.
IBK causes intense ocular pain. Cattle with active corneal ulcers squint, avoid light, and show reduced appetite and social withdrawal as indicators of discomfort. The pain is acute and persistent — equivalent to a severe corneal abrasion in a human eye. Untreated animals may go blind in one or both eyes, which in cattle causes long-term navigational difficulties, reduced foraging efficiency, and social disadvantage within the herd. The condition is painful and easily treatable if caught early, making delayed or absent treatment a preventable welfare failure. Daily cattle observation to identify early ocular signs and prompt antibiotic administration dramatically reduce the duration and severity of suffering.