A Smarter Approach to Mastitis Treatment

When a dairy cow develops mastitis, inflammation of the udder, the common response is immediate antibiotic treatment. That approach has long helped protect both animal health and milk production. But according to a recent Ag Alert report from the California Farm Bureau, researchers say every case may not require the same treatment.

Christian Bernal-Córdoba, a veterinarian and graduate researcher at the University of California, Davis, says the discussion should focus less on simply cutting antibiotics and more on using them precisely. He says, “Antibiotics themselves are not the problem. The problem is how we use them.”

Attention to antibiotic use has grown as concerns about antimicrobial resistance increase. Bernal-Córdoba explains antimicrobial resistance happens when bacteria adapt in ways that reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics, making infections more difficult to treat over time.

Rather than focusing only on reducing antibiotics, researchers say producers should optimize their use and apply treatment when it clearly provides a benefit.

That approach can also lower drug costs, reduce discarded milk during withdrawal periods and cut time spent managing hospital pens. For more details, visit https://www.agalert.com/california-ag-news/archives/february-25-2026/precision-is-key-to-reducing-antibiotic-use-on-dairies/