Abstract
A traditional approach in agricultural and veterinary research is focussing on the biological perspective where large
cattle-databases are used to analyse the dairy herd. This approach has yielded valuable insights. However, recent
research indicates that this knowledge-base can be further increased by examining agricultural and veterinary
challenges from other perspectives. In this paper we suggest three perspectives that may supplement the
biological perspective in agricultural and veterinary research; the economic-, the managerial-, and the social
perspective. We review recent studies applying or combining these perspectives and discuss how multiple
perspectives may improve our understanding and ability to handle cattle-health challenges