Positive welfare goes beyond preventing suffering. It's about enabling cows to thrive. By supporting natural behaviours and promoting positive experiences, we can help ensure cows live a good life.

Clinical ketosis is a metabolic disease in cows, occurring when they are in severe negative energy balance, particularly during early lactation and may occur as a secondary condition to other health challenges the cow may be experiencing.

Endometritis is a bacterial inflammation in the uterus that often occurs after calving. Around 25% of cows have this condition before mating starts.

Facial eczema (FE) is a disease caused by a toxin from a fungus in pasture, predominantly in late summer and autumn. It can cause liver damage, skin irritation, and a drop in milk production.

Leptospirosis is a highly infectious bacterial disease affecting humans and most mammals. It is a significant human health risk causing flu-like symptoms or severe ongoing illness.

Preparing stock for transport is about ensuring a safe and comfortable journey, along with checking their wellbeing on arrival.

Nitrate poisoning in cows happens when they eat feed with high nitrate levels, often in late autumn or winter.

Copper deficiency in cattle, common during winter/early spring or in fast-growing calves over six months, can lead to issues like weight loss, reduced milk yields, reproductive problems, and anaemia in cows.

Calf scours, or diarrhoea in calves, can be caused by multiple factors and if untreated, can lead to severe dehydration and even death. This disease disrupts the normal water movement in the digestive tract, leading to water and salt loss.

Salmonellosis is the most common disease associated with acute diarrhoea in adult dairy cows. Salmonella bacteria from cattle can also be transferred to humans, causing significant illness.

Acidosis is a metabolic condition that affects cows when their rumen pH levels drop below normal. This is often due to a high-starch diet. You'll recognise acidosis when your cows show signs like scouring, depression, and milk fever-like symptoms.

Grass staggers is a metabolic disease in cows caused by a magnesium deficiency. By giving cows extra magnesium in their diet, you can prevent health issues like grass staggers and milk fever, which can help increase milk production.

Theileriosis is a cattle disease spread by ticks, causing anaemia and sometimes death, especially in calves and cows during calving.

Milk fever is a metabolic disorder in dairy cows caused by insufficient calcium, often seen after calving. It can cause lowered milk production and other health issues, like ketosis and metritis.

Johne’s disease is a long term, infectious disease that affects the gut of cows and reduces their ability to absorb nutrients. There is no cure, so management focuses on reducing the risk of spread.

Humane on-farm slaughter refers to the practice of ending an animal's life with minimal pain, distress, or suffering.

The sooner you spot and treat sick and lame cows, the better. Learn how to identify, separate and care for sick and problem cows, about marking and recording systems, and the most common cow diseases. 

Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) is managed by the South Island Dairying Development Centre (SIDDC), representing its six partner organisations.