Summer mastitis is a severe bacterial infection affecting dry cows during the pasture season, causing significant pain and often permanent udder damage requiring welfare-focused prevention protocols.
Summer mastitis welfare involves severe acute pain and systemic illness in affected animals, often resulting in permanent loss of affected udder quarters. The welfare impact extends beyond the acute episode - cattle that survive summer mastitis with udder damage have reduced productive capacity affecting their long-term management, and the systemic illness causes suffering comparable to severe human bacterial infections. Prevention through fly control and internal teat sealant placement is highly effective when properly implemented, making summer mastitis a largely preventable welfare condition where failure represents a management rather than an unavoidable welfare compromise.