The widespread use of antibiotics in livestock production affects both animal welfare and global public health through antibiotic resistance, creating complex trade-offs requiring careful policy responses.
Antibiotics play dual roles in animal welfare: they treat suffering animals who would otherwise die from bacterial infections, but routine use also masks welfare problems created by overcrowded, stressful production conditions rather than addressing them. The appropriate welfare response is to use antibiotics when sick animals need treatment while eliminating routine preventive use by improving conditions enough that such use is unnecessary. Restriction of routine use without welfare improvements leaves animals sicker without treatment.