In dairy production, mastitis is one of the most challenging animal health problems. The objective of this study was to explain farmers’ adaptation of recommended management control options (MCOs) at the own herd using the psychological constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as determinants. The TPB is a well-known model to explain human behavior as a function of 3 psychological concepts: attitude, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and subjective norm (SN). The study is based on a random sample of 356 Swedish full-time farmers specializing in dairy production. Data were collected from an online questionnaire in spring 2016. Measures of the TPB predictors were developed according to the research question to the target behavior of decision making in mastitis prevention. Based on recommendations by Swedish farm advisory company VÄXA, 16 different management areas (representing MCOs) toward cow bound or infectious bacteria were used to describe behavior. A cluster analysis was used to group farmers based on adapted MCOs. This was done to test whether the TPB components could explain differences in adaptation across groups of farmers which used similar sets of MCOs. Statistical analyses were performed using hierarchical multinomial logistic regression, where herd size (number of cows) and farmers’ subjective estimation of the somatic cell count at the herd was used as base model and each of the TPB concepts where used as covariates. The results showed that farmers’ decisions about which set of MCOs to adapt as preventive actions was largely explained by farmers’ perceived control over the situation. Attitudes and SN did not, however, contribute to predict the adaptation of MCOs. These result suggest, as PBC relate to self-efficacy (one’s belief in ability to exert action or avoid the adverse outcome), that the work to implement MCOs should be complemented by programs specifically designed to include elements to foster ability of farmers to use and or combine MCOs to alleviate and prevent mastitis.