ABSTRACT
Downer or non-ambulatory animals represent a welfare issue for livestock agriculture, particularly the dairy cattle industry. In the 1950s, the term “downer” was already being employed by researchers and veterinary practitioners to describe recumbent cattle. Since then, the condition of recumbency has been the only consistent requirement for classifying cattle as downers. Inconsistent use of the terms downer or nonambulatory by researchers has been problematic as it has resulted in varying conclusions regarding the significance of the problem, the indicated promptness of treatment, and more importantly, the time frame for considering euthanasia as an appropriate course of action to avoid prolonged suffering and to ensure the health and safety of humans and other animals. Ideally, efforts of livestock producers and workers should focus on preventing new cases of nonambulatory cattle. In order to prevent this condition, it is necessary to be aware of risk factors associated with it.
