Antibiotic use in livestock production has welfare implications in both directions - treating disease prevents suffering, but overuse drives resistance that harms both animal and human health.
Antibiotic stewardship in livestock sits at the intersection of animal welfare and public health. Used appropriately, antibiotics prevent and treat significant animal suffering from bacterial disease. Overused prophylactically to compensate for poor welfare conditions, they mask welfare problems while driving resistance. The welfare-aligned approach is to improve housing, management, and nutrition to reduce disease pressure, use antibiotics only for treatment of diagnosed conditions under veterinary supervision, and monitor outcomes through disease incidence rates. This approach benefits animal welfare, human health, and farm economics through reduced disease burden.