The use of antibiotics in livestock production affects both individual animal welfare when treating disease, and global human and animal health through contributing to antimicrobial resistance - creating a welfare dilemma requiring careful management.
The antibiotic stewardship challenge creates a genuine welfare tension: sick animals need antibiotics, but overuse drives resistance that harms future animal (and human) patients. The key insight is that high-welfare farming conditions that reduce disease incidence allow reduced antibiotic use - animals that are not chronically stressed have better immune function. Restrictions on prophylactic antibiotic use, while correct in principle, require welfare monitoring to ensure sick animals still receive treatment when genuinely needed. Regular veterinary oversight, disease prevention through vaccination and biosecurity, and good husbandry are the foundations of both welfare and antibiotic stewardship.