Farm Animals

Cattle Transition Period Welfare Dairy

The transition period (3 weeks before to 3 weeks after calving) is the highest-risk welfare period for dairy cows, with multiple metabolic diseases possible.

Key Facts

Transition period diseases include milk fever, ketosis, displaced abomasum, and retained placenta
Subclinical ketosis affects up to 40% of dairy cows and reduces subsequent disease resistance
Liver function deteriorates during negative energy balance as cows mobilise fat reserves
Body condition score management before calving significantly reduces transition disease risk
Transition cow management is a key differentiator between high and low welfare dairy farms

Welfare Considerations

Transition period disease causes significant suffering and is a major driver of cow longevity and welfare outcomes. Farms that invest in nutrition management, body condition scoring, and monitoring during this critical period dramatically reduce the disease burden on their cows.

What You Can Do

Support dairy welfare standards with specific transition period monitoring criteria
Advocate for transition cow management training in dairy welfare schemes
Choose dairy from farms with documented low transition disease rates
Learn about transition cow welfare as a key dairy welfare indicator