Farm Animals

Dairy Goat Welfare and Mastitis Prevention

Mastitis is a major welfare and production problem in dairy goat flocks requiring proactive prevention strategies.

Key Facts

Caprine mastitis is caused by bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and E. coli
Clinical mastitis causes pain, swelling and reduced milk production in affected does
Subclinical mastitis without visible signs is common and detected through somatic cell count monitoring
Good milking hygiene, equipment maintenance and dry doe therapy prevent most mastitis cases
Teat dipping after milking significantly reduces new infection rates in dairy goat herds

Welfare Considerations

Mastitis causes significant pain and discomfort in affected dairy goats. Chronic subclinical infection reduces milk quality and productivity while causing ongoing inflammation. Prevention through hygiene management is far more effective and welfare-positive than reactive treatment of established infections.

What You Can Do

Support dairy goat farm assurance schemes with mastitis monitoring requirements
Choose goat dairy products from farms with documented health management programmes
Advocate for inclusion of somatic cell count targets in dairy goat welfare standards
Learn about caprine mastitis prevention from AHDB and goat industry veterinary resources