Cow welfare
Cow health
Healthy cows, better results
The foundation of a successful dairy farm
Healthy cows are the foundation of every successful dairy farm. That is why, in all products we develop at Lely, we focus on keeping your cows healthy. So they continue to eat well, ruminate properly, move freely, and produce milk efficiently. This contributes to better animal welfare, lower costs and more enjoyable daily work.
Cow health
Healthy cows are more fertile and deliver higher milk production
Hoof health
A cow with healthy hooves moves more easily, eats more and performs more efficiently. Regular hoof care and clean floors are essential. A high feeding frequency also has a positive effect on hoof health.
Udder health
A healthy udder is the foundation for good milk production and milk quality. Optimal udder health is achieved through a combination of good hygiene, udder care, housing, and management.
Rumen health
Nutrition and frequent feeding is important for cow health. A well balanced ration supports rumen health, prevents disorders such as rumen acidosis, and ensures stable milk production.
Cow fertility
Cows that become pregnant easily ensure a stable calving interval, optimal milk production, and an efficient herd. Excessively long calving intervals, additional inseminations, and overly long lactations lead to higher costs and frustration.
Hygiene
Clean barns as the foundation for cow health
Hygiene in the barn is an important condition for cow health and animal welfare. Cows that lie in clean and dry cubicles suffer less from udder, skin, and hoof problems. Regularly adding fresh bedding and proper maintenance of mats or mattresses help keep the lying areas dry.
Barn lay-out
Cow comfort
Cow comfort involves more than just the number of available cubicles. It also includes sufficient walking space, light, proper ventilation, and clean drinking water. A cow that experiences enough comfort lies down more, ruminates more and stays healthier. A cow brush is an important tool for improving cow comfort. Cows like to use the brush to massage their skin. This stimulates blood circulation and helps reduce stress.
A cow brush:
- removes dirt and loose hair, keeping the skin cleaner and healthier, which helps prevent itching
- stimulates blood circulation, contributing to better metabolism and skin condition
- reduces stress and boredom, the cow brush supports the cow’s natural behavior
- promotes lying and rumination behavior, a relaxed cow is more likely to lie down and ruminate calmly
Data management
Monitoring cow health and early detection
Data management Monitoring cow health and early detection. By observing cows daily, deviations can be identified sooner. A data management system and sensors support this process by detecting early signs of health issues before they become visible. This allows farmers to act quickly and stay ahead of conditions such as mastitis, hoof problems, and metabolic diseases.
A data management system such as Lely Horizon plays an important role in monitoring cow health. Horizon brings data from across the farm together in one place, analyses it, and translates it into practical insights. This provides a clear overview of the health and welfare of each cow and alerts you when deviations occur. Reports within Horizon can support the early detection of issues such as mastitis. Managing health treatments is also essential for herd health and productivity. Within Horizon, all treatment protocols and treatments can be registered and managed in one overview, giving you access to key animal health information in a single management system.
Farming insights
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Frequently asked questions
Questions farmers ask about cow health
When cows receive smaller portions more often, the rumen pH stays more stable. This reduces the risk of rumen acidosis. It also allows rumen bacteria to work continuously, which means the cow can absorb more nutrients from the same ration.
More frequent feeding prevents peaks and drops in energy. This helps cows maintain their body condition and supports milk production. It also reduces the risk of problems such as milk fever or ketosis, especially in high-producing cows.
Feeding more often reduces competition at the feed fence. This creates a calmer barn environment and puts less strain on the hooves. It also better matches the cow’s natural eating behavior.
In short: feeding more frequently leads to a calmer rumen, better feed utilisation and fewer health risks. Together, this contributes to healthier cows.
A sick cow often shows subtle signs. For example, she reacts more slowly, isolates herself from the herd, eats and ruminates less, produces less milk or milk with flakes, has a fever, or has difficulty standing up.
The earlier you recognise these signals, the greater the chance of recovery. A data management system helps you collect health indicators and alerts you when deviations are detected. This often allows you to identify a sick cow before the disease becomes visible, so you can intervene sooner and prevent further problems.
Automation helps guide cows that need treatment to the right area. This includes cows that need insemination, preventive hoof trimming, drying off, or sick cows that require medication. When working with Lely Horizon, advanced filters and automatic routing help send the right cow to the right place at the right time. This happens directly after milking in the Lely Astronaut, without disrupting the cow’s routine and without causing stress.
Cow health driven by data
Improving cow health starts with the right insights
Healthy cows form the foundation of every successful dairy farm. It is the result of daily insight into the behavior, health and environment of the herd. By identifying problems such as hoof and udder health issues, metabolic disorders, and reduced immunity at an early stage, you can prevent higher costs and production losses. Smart use of data and automation not only helps you respond to problems, but also prevent them in a sustainable and consistent way.