Farm Animals

Farmed Cattle Mastitis Prevention and Welfare

Mastitis causes significant pain and systemic illness in dairy cows, and prevention through hygiene and teat management is highly effective.

Key Facts

Mastitis affects up to 40% of dairy cows per year in some UK herds
Acute mastitis causes fever, pain, and systemic illness
Chronic subclinical mastitis causes ongoing discomfort and reduced milk quality
Teat dipping, cubicle hygiene, and milking machine maintenance are the primary preventive measures
Selective dry cow therapy reduces antibiotic use while maintaining welfare outcomes

Welfare Considerations

Dairy cows with mastitis experience significant pain, fever, and reduced welfare that lasts days to weeks even with treatment. Preventive management is far more welfare-positive than repeated treatment. Farms with low mastitis rates have invested in hygiene, milking management, and monitoring that directly benefits cow welfare.

What You Can Do

Support dairy welfare standards using somatic cell count as a welfare indicator
Advocate for mandatory mastitis rate monitoring and reporting
Choose dairy products from farms with documented low mastitis incidence