Overview of cattle welfare improvement as a strategy for reducing antibiotic use and resistance.
Cattle antibiotic stewardship and welfare improvement are interconnected priorities. Disease burden driven by welfare deficits - stress, poor housing, inadequate nutrition - is the primary driver of antibiotic use. Improving welfare reduces disease incidence, reducing antibiotic need. EU restrictions on preventive antibiotic use create regulatory pressure for welfare improvement as the primary prevention strategy. This alignment benefits animals, public health, and industry sustainability.