Farm Animals

Cattle Transition Metabolic Disease Prevention

Transition cow diseases including milk fever, ketosis, and displaced abomasum cluster around calving and cause enormous welfare burden, with prevention far more effective than treatment.

Key Facts

An estimated 30-50% of dairy cows experience subclinical metabolic disease around calving
Hypocalcaemia (milk fever) causes paralysis and is fatal without treatment
Ketosis (acetonaemia) causes reduced feed intake, weight loss, and secondary disease susceptibility
Displaced abomasum typically occurs in cows with poor appetite in early lactation
Transition cow programmes targeting nutrition and monitoring prevent the majority of cases

Welfare Considerations

Transition metabolic diseases cause acute and chronic suffering for a very high proportion of dairy cows. Prevention programmes reduce welfare burden significantly while improving economics.

What You Can Do

Implement a comprehensive transition cow programme with your vet and nutritionist
Monitor fresh cow ketone levels as an early welfare indicator
Provide appropriate body condition management from dry-off through calving
Train staff in early detection of metabolic disease signs