For dairy cows, the transitionperiod is the most stressful andhas a lasting influence on milkproduction, fertility, and profitability. During the three weeks beforecalving and the three weeks post-calving,cows are more vulnerable to metabolic disorders such as milkfever and ketosis, and infectious diseases like mastitis. Though milk fever is a well-known challenge,research shows the negative impact of metabolic inflammation is just as detrimental or even more detrimental to transition cow performance.
What is metabolic inflammation?
An inflammatory event is the cow’s natural short-term ‘alarm response’ to stress or damage, where her body switches on defence systems to protect tissues and help her recover.
Metabolic inflammation is a low-grade, whole body response around calving. It is driven by metabolic stress, mainly from normal calving processes and excessive fat mobilisation, and raises Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA) and ketones (BHBA) that increases inflammation and suppresses the immune system.
When cows transition smoothly, with minimal stress, body fat loss, and health issues, they mobilise less body fat, allowing post-calving inflammation to settle. Difficult calvings drive excessive fat loss, leading to prolonged inflammation that reduces production and increases health problems.
Cost of metabolic inflammation
Inflammation suppresses appetite. It pushes the liver into survival mode which drives excess fat mobilisation and weakens immune function. The risk of metabolic, reproductive, and infectious diseases—often occurring together—rises.
Milk production declines with glucose diverted away from the mammary gland to support the immune system. Acute inflammation can consume up to 2 kg of glucose per day, and the diversion can equate to milk solid losses of up to 0.42 kg MS/cow/day, or $4.07 per cow per day at a $9.50/kg MS pay-out. Wearable data shows acute metabolic events can last from a couple of days up to a month.
Signs of metabolic inflammation
- Prolonged reduced intake after calving
- Rapid body condition loss
- Cows look 'flat': slow, dull, lying down more, less alert
- Multiple transition disorders together
- Rumination stays <450 min/day for several days or weeks post-partum.
Tips for reducing inflammation
- Calve cows at the correct Body Condition Score (BCS)
- Target a calving BCS for 5.0 for mixed-age cows and 5.5 for heifers and second lactation cows.
- Maximise Dry Matter Intake (DMI) pre and post-calving
- Ensure fresh, consistent feed access
- Ensure the rumen is well adapted by having the springer diet resemble the lactation diet
- Maintain effective fibre and avoid large increases in starch, like grains, and sugars such as molasses
- Support liver & immune function
- Use rumen-protected choline
- Provide key trace minerals (Zn, Cu, Se) and Vitamin E
- Control excessive fat mobilisation
- Bypass fats, especially C16:0 sources
- Avoid major metabolic shocks at calving
- Nexulin (rumen protected capsaicin) to support glucose use
- Prevent calving and transition issues through balanced minerals, good supervision, and low-stress calving.
