Cattle Farming

Cattle Welfare and Public Health Connections

Connections between cattle welfare and public health through antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease create aligned incentives for welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Cattle health problems are a major driver of antibiotic use that contributes to AMR
Bovine TB affects cattle welfare and human health through shared M. bovis transmission
Cryptosporidium and E. coli from cattle cause human gastrointestinal disease
Good cattle health management reduces antibiotic use and zoonotic disease risk simultaneously
One Health frameworks explicitly connect animal health, welfare, and human health

Welfare Considerations

Cattle welfare and human public health are connected through the pathways of antibiotic resistance and zoonotic disease transmission. Reducing disease through welfare improvement reduces antibiotic use that drives resistance. Healthy, well-managed cattle are less likely to harbour and shed pathogens that reach humans through food and environment. These connections create public health arguments for cattle welfare investment beyond the welfare case alone.

What You Can Do

Support One Health approaches connecting cattle welfare to AMR and zoonotic disease policy
Advocate for animal health and welfare to be central to AMR national action plans
Choose beef and dairy from farms with documented health management and low antibiotic use