Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Transition Period Disease Prevention

The transition period from three weeks before to three weeks after calving is the highest risk period in a dairy cow's production cycle. Preventing metabolic and infectious diseases during this time is a welfare priority.

Key Facts

Transition disease costs UK dairy farming an estimated 300 million pounds annually
Hypocalcaemia, ketosis, and displaced abomasum cluster in the transition period
Cows with one disease are at significantly higher risk of subsequent conditions
Transition management failures cause pain, reduced appetite, and immune suppression
Targeted nutritional management reduces transition disease incidence significantly

Welfare Considerations

Transition cows experiencing metabolic disease suffer from weakness, pain, and secondary conditions that cascade into the new lactation. Prevention through careful dry cow nutrition, appropriate mineral supplementation, and early detection programmes significantly reduces the welfare burden of transition period disease.

What You Can Do

Support dairy farms with active transition cow health monitoring programmes
Advocate for transition disease incidence to be included in welfare audits
Choose dairy products from farms committed to low incidence of metabolic disease