Mastitis is the most common and costly disease in dairy cows, causing significant pain and accounting for most antibiotic use in the dairy industry.
Clinical mastitis causes severe pain - cows with acute mastitis show behavioral pain indicators including weight shifting, reluctance to move, and reduced milk letdown. The mammary gland pain associated with swelling and inflammation is significant. Subclinical mastitis, though less obvious, represents a painful immune inflammatory response ongoing for extended periods in affected cows. The prevalence of mastitis in dairy herds reflects the management pressure of high milk production demands on cow immune systems. Antibiotic treatment is often delayed or inadequate, allowing extended periods of pain. Prevention through good milking management and reduced production pressure is the welfare priority.