Displaced Abomasum in Dairy Cattle

Left displaced abomasum (LDA) is one of the most common surgical conditions in high-producing dairy cows, causing pain and reduced feed intake with a peak incidence in the first weeks after calving.

Key Facts

The abomasum is the fourth stomach compartment in cattle and can shift position after calving
LDA is estimated to affect 1-5% of dairy cows in intensive systems, with some herds seeing higher rates
High-grain, low-fibre diets in the lead-up to calving significantly increase risk
Characteristic "ping" sounds on auscultation aid diagnosis without imaging
Most cases are corrected surgically under local anaesthetic with high success rates
Metabolic disorders including ketosis and hypocalcaemia are major predisposing factors
Prevention through transition cow management is far preferable to surgical correction

Welfare Considerations

A displaced abomasum causes pain, significant reduction in feed intake, and rapid weight loss in affected animals. Cows may show depression and a sharp decline in milk yield. If undetected, the condition can progress to right-sided displacement and volvulus, which is life-threatening and extremely painful. Surgical correction is effective but invasive and stressful. Prevention through appropriate transition nutrition — maintaining forage intake and avoiding over-conditioning in late pregnancy — is both welfare-protective and economically sound. High-incidence herds require systematic review of transition management protocols.

What You Can Do

Support dairy farms that invest in robust transition cow management programmes
Advocate for routine monitoring of metabolic disease incidence as a welfare indicator on farms
Encourage farm assurance schemes to include transition disease rates in audits
Choose dairy products from farms with certified high-welfare standards
Support research into nutritional strategies that reduce periparturient disease rates