Mastitis is more common and better studied in dairy cattle than beef cows but the latter group aren’t free from the challenges mastitis presents.
“Beef cows with mastitis often have a painful quarter, produce less milk, nurse their calves less, and in some instances infection can lead to septicemia and death of the cow,” says Dr. Jennifer Pearson, assistant professor in bovine health at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.