The transition period around calving is the highest-risk period for dairy cow health and welfare, with metabolic diseases causing enormous suffering and economic loss in the dairy industry.
Dairy cows in the transition period face metabolic demands that frequently exceed their ability to maintain homeostasis, leading to painful conditions including milk fever, liver dysfunction, and ketosis. Suffering from transition diseases is often severe and prolonged when detection and treatment are delayed. The welfare burden of transition disease across the global dairy herd is enormous. Improved nutritional management, early detection technologies, and prompt veterinary treatment are all highly effective at reducing suffering during this critical period.