Livestock

Mastitis in Ewes: Welfare and Flock Management

How mastitis affects ewe and lamb welfare and how prevention reduces flock suffering.

Key Facts

Gangrenous mastitis causes sudden acute welfare emergency and loss of the udder quarter
Subclinical mastitis reduces milk production and lamb growth without obvious signs
Staphylococcus and Pasteurella are the primary bacterial causes
Ewes with chronic mastitis produce inadequate milk for lambs — orphan lamb welfare follows

Welfare Considerations

Ewe mastitis causes significant welfare harm — gangrenous forms are acutely agonising, while chronic mastitis condemns lambs to inadequate nutrition. Welfare-focused flock management includes teat dipping after weaning, pre-lambing antibiotic dry therapy for chronic cases, monitoring milk quality during suckling, and prompt treatment of clinical mastitis. Chronic mastitis ewes should be culled to prevent repeated welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Dip teats after weaning as a primary mastitis prevention measure
Monitor lambs for poor growth — this can indicate subclinical mastitis in their dam
Cull ewes with chronic mastitis rather than retaining them through repeated welfare-compromising lactations