Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Milk Fever Prevention and Welfare

Milk fever (hypocalcaemia) causes sudden collapse in dairy cows after calving and is one of the most preventable metabolic diseases.

Key Facts

Milk fever affects approximately 5-8% of dairy cows with first-calving cows least affected
Severe cases cause muscle weakness, recumbency, and hypothermia requiring emergency treatment
Subclinical hypocalcaemia increases mastitis risk without obvious signs
Anionic salt feeding in the close-up dry period is the most evidence-based prevention
Calcium supplementation at calving provides additional protection in high-risk cows

Welfare Considerations

Milk fever causes acute suffering through sudden collapse and muscle failure. Preventive tools including dietary management and calving-time supplementation are effective and affordable, making this disease rare in well-managed herds.

What You Can Do

Support dairy farms using evidence-based milk fever prevention protocols
Advocate for metabolic disease prevention standards in dairy welfare certification
Choose dairy from farms demonstrating low metabolic disease rates