Mastitis is an infection that causes inflammation of a cow’s udder. It is caused by bacteria or by injury, and clinical mastitis can affect around 5% of dairy cows in a herd. The likelihood of a cow having mastitis is related to nutrition, hygiene and other procedures at milking.
Mastitis is a serious animal welfare issue as the associated swelling and inflammation of the udder is very painful. Affected cows exhibit clear signs of discomfort, including abnormal posture, increased sensitivity, rapid breathing and heart rate, and a high temperature. Unfortunately, mastitis is not always easy to detect in its early stages, particularly when the redness and swelling of the udder is not obvious. If left untreated, severe mastitis may cause the death of the cow.
The RSPCA believes that good dairy management will reduce the causes of mastitis and ensure that, when it does occur, it is picked up and treated promptly. The Australian dairy industry recognises that mastitis is a major problem as it lowers the quality of the milk produced. The industry has various initiatives in place to help prevent mastitis in the dairy herd (e.g. Countdown Downunder).
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