The descriptive epidemiology and risk factors were reviewed for six clinical disorders: milk fever, downer cow syndrome, hypomagnesemic tetany, udder edema, left displaced abomasum, and ketosis. Data were included also from preliminary analyses of a data set from approximately 61,000 Finnish Ayrshire cows. A web of postulated associations among the metabolic disorders and other risks factors (previous lactation diseases and milk yield, calf factors, certain dry period nutritional factors, dystocia, retained placenta, and metritis) was diagrammed.