Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Mastitis Welfare: Advanced Pain Management

Mastitis is one of the most painful and economically costly diseases in dairy cattle. Advanced pain management protocols significantly improve welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Mastitis affects up to 25% of dairy cows annually in intensive systems
Pain from mastitis is often underestimated and undertreated by farmers
NSAIDs reduce pain, fever and inflammation when given early
Combining antibiotics with NSAIDs improves cure rates and welfare
Cow-side tests allow rapid pathogen identification for targeted treatment
Severe mastitis can cause septicaemia and death without prompt intervention

Welfare Considerations

Mastitis causes significant acute pain, reduced mobility and loss of appetite. Cows with untreated mastitis show behavioural indicators including reduced lying time, altered gait and decreased feed intake. Routine NSAID use at diagnosis is now recommended by major veterinary bodies as standard of care.

What You Can Do

Support dairy standards requiring routine NSAID use for mastitis
Choose dairy products from farms with low mastitis cell count records
Advocate for regular somatic cell count monitoring and transparency
Encourage veterinary-farmer partnerships for mastitis prevention protocols