Bovine Mastitis Welfare Science 2025: Evidence Review

Key Facts

• Mastitis affects approximately 25-40% of dairy cows per year in global production systems
• Subclinical mastitis (no visible signs, elevated somatic cell count) causes pain that is often unrecognized and untreated
• 2025 research confirms that cows with subclinical mastitis show reduced milk let-down, altered social behavior, and reduced feed intake
• Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) protocols using rapid on-farm diagnostics improve welfare by enabling appropriate antibiotic use
• Multi-modal analgesia (NSAID plus local anesthetic teat infusion) significantly improves welfare outcomes in clinical mastitis

Welfare Considerations

The 2025 mastitis welfare evidence base has strengthened the case for treating subclinical mastitis as a welfare condition rather than purely a production problem. Pain indicators in subclinical cases — reduced grooming, altered posture, reduced social participation — confirm that even cows without overt signs experience discomfort. Multi-modal analgesia in clinical mastitis dramatically reduces pain scores and improves recovery rates. The shift toward Targeted Selective Treatment using on-farm diagnostics allows more precise antibiotic use while maintaining welfare through appropriate treatment. Dry cow therapy decisions should incorporate welfare alongside antimicrobial stewardship principles.

What You Can Do

• Implement routine somatic cell count monitoring to identify subclinical mastitis and treat appropriately
• Use multi-modal analgesia (NSAID plus teat anesthetic) for all clinical mastitis cases as standard welfare protocol
• Adopt Targeted Selective Treatment diagnostics to guide antibiotic decisions at drying off
• Train farm staff in mastitis pain recognition using validated behavioral scoring tools
• Review mastitis incidence records annually to identify management interventions that reduce new case rates