Farm Animals

Dairy Cow Transition Period Management

Welfare and health challenges during the transition period around calving in dairy cows.

Key Facts

The transition period covers 3 weeks before to 3 weeks after calving
Metabolic diseases including milk fever and ketosis peak at this time
Immune suppression during transition increases infection risk
Nutritional management before calving prevents many transition diseases
Transition cow monitoring is a key focus of precision dairy farming

Welfare Considerations

The transition period represents the highest risk time for dairy cow welfare, and investment in nutritional management and monitoring significantly reduces suffering.

What You Can Do

Support farms with strong transition cow management programmes
Advocate for welfare standards that require transition period monitoring
Choose dairy products from farms with low cull rates and good health records