Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Welfare and Antibiotic Stewardship

Reducing antibiotic use in cattle requires improved welfare standards, disease prevention, and farm management - with welfare and stewardship outcomes mutually reinforcing.

Key Facts

Bovine respiratory disease accounts for a large share of cattle antibiotic use
Improved housing, ventilation, and nutrition reduce disease incidence
Metaphylactic antibiotic use is being phased out in many countries
Vaccination programmes can significantly reduce disease and antibiotic need
Better welfare conditions improve immune function and disease resistance

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic reduction and improved welfare are complementary goals. Farms investing in housing, nutrition, and disease prevention reduce both animal suffering and antibiotic dependency.

What You Can Do

Support farms with verified antibiotic reduction programmes
Choose welfare-certified meat products
Advocate for regulations limiting prophylactic antibiotic use
Learn about the link between animal welfare and antibiotic resistance