Responsible antibiotic use in cattle farming protects both animal welfare and public health by ensuring antibiotics remain effective for treating infections that cause significant suffering.
Antibiotic stewardship creates a welfare tension: restriction of antibiotic use may mean some animals with bacterial infections receive delayed or no treatment, causing suffering. However, the long-term welfare consequences of losing effective antibiotics due to resistance would be catastrophic. The resolution is not restricting treatment of sick animals but reducing the need for treatment through good husbandry - the conditions that drive antibiotic overuse are often themselves welfare problems. Well-designed housing, appropriate stocking density, and good nutrition reduce disease pressure, improving both welfare and antibiotic stewardship simultaneously.