Farm Animal Welfare

Dairy Cow Ketosis and Metabolic Welfare

Ketosis is a metabolic disease affecting dairy cows during the transition to lactation, causing illness and reduced welfare on many farms.

Key Facts

Up to 40% of dairy cows experience subclinical ketosis in early lactation
High milk production genetics increase metabolic demands beyond what many cows can sustain
Ketosis causes depression, reduced feed intake, and predisposes to other diseases
Proactive monitoring using milk or blood ketone tests enables early treatment
Transition cow management including pre-calving nutrition dramatically reduces incidence

Welfare Considerations

Ketosis causes genuine illness affecting appetite, mobility, and reproduction in dairy cows. The high prevalence in commercial dairy herds reflects selection for milk production beyond metabolically sustainable levels. Better transition management reduces this preventable suffering.

What You Can Do

Support dairy certification schemes requiring ketosis monitoring and treatment protocols
Advocate for breeding goals that balance milk production with metabolic resilience
Choose dairy products from farms demonstrating good transition cow management