The transition period around calving is the most metabolically demanding phase of a dairy cow life cycle, with welfare implications that affect the entire subsequent lactation.
The transition period is the most critical and welfare-intensive phase of the dairy production cycle. The simultaneous demands of late pregnancy, parturition, early lactation, and immune adaptation create extreme physiological stress. Metabolic diseases that peak during this period cause significant pain and suffering. A cow experiencing ketosis may be anorexic, depressed, and physically weakened for days. Milk fever causes paralysis and, if untreated, death. The management of transition cows, including nutrition planning, pen design, and health monitoring, has enormous implications for both individual welfare and farm productivity.