Managing the welfare of dairy cows during the critical three weeks before and after calving when disease risk and metabolic stress peak.
The transition period represents the most welfare-critical phase in the dairy cow production cycle. The metabolic challenges of late pregnancy combined with the physiological demands of initiating lactation create conditions where multiple severe diseases can develop simultaneously. Cows experiencing ketosis, milk fever, and metritis are in significant pain and debilitation, yet these conditions are common and largely preventable through appropriate management. Transition cow management requires investment in housing, nutrition, and stockperson skill that has direct welfare payoffs. Farms that optimize transition management typically see not only better welfare outcomes but better productive performance - demonstrating that welfare and productivity are aligned.