Mastitis is the most costly and common disease in dairy cattle worldwide, causing severe pain, reduced milk production, and significant welfare impact that is largely preventable through good management practices.
Mastitis causes significant pain, evidenced by the elevated acute phase proteins, cortisol, and behavioural changes (reduced lying time, food avoidance) in affected cows. Severe coliform mastitis can be life-threatening and causes profound suffering. Despite mastitis being largely preventable through teat hygiene, milking routine, housing management, and dry cow therapy, herd prevalence remains high on many farms. Welfare-focused farm management treats mastitis prevention as a primary animal welfare priority, not merely a production metric.