Diseases affecting dairy cattle

Diseases can have varying impacts on welfare, productivity and profitability. They account for significant financial losses, compromise animal welfare and increase the environmental footprint of your livestock. Understanding what might be circulating in your herd is a vital first step in managing, controlling and minimising the impact of diseases.

There are many diseases that affect dairy cows, with some being more significant than others.

Plan

Creating an active, flexible and bespoke health plan enables you to minimise the impact of disease and improve the effectiveness of disease control measures on your farm by managing protocols, product choices and time of application.

Working with your vet to plan ahead and make informed decisions about the best use of medicines on your farm can also increase herd productivity and labour efficiency, and slow the development of drug resistance.

Prevent

Implementing good biosecurity measures on your farm is one of the most effective ways you can reduce disease.

By preventing disease on your farm, you will save money and time incurred by treating sick animals, as well as reduce the need for reactive treatments and improve herd health and welfare and your environmental footprint.

Protect

Protecting your livestock with vaccines alongside measuring and monitoring colostrum ensures cattle get the best start in life, improves immunity and, subsequently, reduces the need for antibiotics.

Current disease prevention activity

Diseases that affect dairy cattle

Below are some diseases affecting dairy cows, along with clinical signs, transmission and treatment.