Patrick J. Gorden, DVM, DABVP

Down cattle represent a major welfare issue for the dairy industry.

The adult dairy cow is in a constant battle with infectious agents trying to invade her body and establish disease.

Despite all of the efforts that dairyman and dairy veterinarians have put into mastitis control and milk quality, mastitis continues to be one of the most common diseases on dairy farms.

The periparturient period is a very stressful time of transition for the dairy cow and as a result many diseases, such as milk fever, ketosis, metritis, and fatty liver to name a few are contracted through this period.

Dairy cows approaching parturition with impending colostrogenesis have a tremendous increase in demand for energy, protein, and minerals along with changes in homeostatic mechanisms.

Animal welfare is the state of an animal as it attempts to cope with its environment.