Mastitis is a more common disease among dairy cows; it’s comparable to a middle ear infection for young children. About 20% of cows will experience mastitis during their lactation.
If a cow is showing signs of mastitis, farmers take quick action to diagnose what is causing it. This usually involves working with their veterinarian to help them find the best course of actions/medicine to help the cow feel better. If she needs to receive medication, the farmer would administer it and her milk would be discarded until the withdrawal time of the medication is over and she feels better. Each load of milk is sampled before it’s picked up and tested for antibiotics before it makes it off the truck so only the best quality milk makes it to the grocery store.