How mastitis prevention programs in dairy farming protect cow welfare and what management practices are most effective.
Mastitis prevention is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions in dairy farming. Clinical mastitis causes severe acute suffering — cows with mastitis show reduced activity, appetite loss, elevated heart rate, and pain behaviors. Sub-clinical mastitis causes chronic low-grade inflammation and discomfort affecting the majority of cows at some point in their lives. Prevention programs that address bedding hygiene, milking technique, teat end health, and dry cow management can reduce mastitis incidence dramatically, preventing suffering while improving production and reducing antibiotic use.