Reducing antibiotic use in cattle farming is a public health priority, but welfare and antibiotic use are closely interconnected. Understanding this relationship guides responsible stewardship.
Antibiotic stewardship and animal welfare are closely linked: reducing antibiotic use without adequate disease prevention investment risks welfare compromise when animals become ill and effective treatment is delayed or unavailable. The welfare-positive approach to stewardship involves simultaneously reducing antibiotic dependency through vaccination programmes, improved nutrition, and management practices that prevent disease in the first place. Selective dry cow therapy, when correctly implemented, maintains udder health welfare while reducing antibiotic use. Supporting producers who invest in prevention rather than simply withdrawing antibiotics ensures stewardship goals are met without welfare cost.