Mastitis in ewes is a significant welfare and economic problem that causes acute pain, long-term udder damage and, in severe cases, systemic illness and death.
Mastitis causes severe acute pain in ewes - hot, swollen, tender udder tissue and systemic illness. Gangrenous mastitis causes irreversible tissue destruction and life-threatening toxaemia. Prompt recognition and treatment with appropriate antibiotics saves lives and prevents prolonged suffering. Ewe management that reduces risk through clean lambing environments, teat scoring and culling of chronically infected animals improves overall welfare.