Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Cattle: Transition Cow Nutrition Welfare

The transition period around calving is the highest-risk welfare period for dairy cows, with metabolic disease directly linked to nutritional management in the preceding weeks.

Key Facts

Transition period typically spans 3 weeks pre-calving to 3 weeks post-calving
Negative energy balance in early lactation is normal but can become welfare-limiting when severe
Milk fever (hypocalcaemia) causes inability to rise, muscle weakness, and is potentially fatal
Ketosis affects up to 40% of cows in poorly managed herds and causes depression and reduced feed intake
Body condition score at calving is the most important single indicator of transition disease risk

Welfare Considerations

Transition diseases including milk fever, ketosis, displaced abomasum, and metritis cause significant acute suffering and can be fatal. Most are preventable through careful nutritional management in the pre-calving period. Preventing transition disease is both a welfare imperative and the most economically impactful intervention available to dairy farmers.

What You Can Do

Monitor dry cow body condition score and adjust feeding to achieve target at calving
Implement a DCAD (dietary cation-anion difference) nutrition programme to prevent milk fever
Test fresh cows for subclinical ketosis in the first two weeks after calving
Develop a written protocol for transition cow monitoring and treatment
Track transition disease incidence and link to pre-calving management variables