Join us for an insightful episode where we dive deep into effective dry cow management and its fundamental role in preparing a cow to reach her full milk potential during the subsequent lactation period. This crucial phase lays the groundwork for her health and nutrition in the next cycle.
We'll explore the four essential pillars that ensure a successful dry period:
Body Condition Score (BCS): Discover why monitoring BCS is considered the most important of the four pillars. We'll discuss the ideal BCS at key stages like drying off (BCS 3), calving (BCS 3-3.25), and breeding (minimum 2.75).
Learn about the negative impacts of both high BCS (e.g., increased NEFA levels, metabolic disorders like ketosis, depressed peak milk yield) and low BCS (reduced milk yield, lameness, lower conception rates). We'll also emphasize the importance of addressing BCS issues in late lactation, not just during the dry period.
Management: Understand how crucial proper farm-level management is for a correct dry cow system and its significant "knock-on effect" throughout the subsequent lactation. We'll cover optimal dry period duration (around 60 days) and the risks of extended dry periods leading to over-conditioned cows.
Key management considerations include minimising group changes to avoid impacting dry matter intake, providing adequate housing with one cubicle and one feed space per cow, ensuring clean water access, and managing grazing properly. Learn about the critical need to monitor pit face and forage for moulds, which can cause serious issues like abortions or metritis, and the importance of regular feed trough cleaning.
Nutrition: Feeding the dry cow correctly is fundamental. We'll delve into nutritional strategies like the Controlled Energy High-Fibre (CEHF) diet, a single Total Mixed Ration (TMR) system known to benefit permpartum health, dry matter intake (DMI), and overall productivity.
We'll discuss managing DMI around 11 kilograms and the use of chopped straw (2.5 to 5 kg) as a crucial filler to control intake, dilute high-quality silage, and manage potassium levels, all while maintaining rumen function.
The role of protein sources (like soybean meal or slow-release urea) for rumen health and colostrum quality will be highlighted, along with the benefits of including some concentrate to help rumen bacteria adapt post-calving. A survey of 277 farms showed that correctly implementing this diet led to a 60% reduction in metabolic disorders.
Minerals: Often overlooked, the quality and quantity of minerals are vital. We'll explain why a mineral analysis of forage is the only accurate way to determine supplementation needs.
Crucially, we'll differentiate between inorganic salts (like sodium selenite and copper sulphate), which animals don't utilise as effectively, and organic minerals, which are absorbed, stored, and used more efficiently.
Discover how feeding organic forms helps build the cow’s immune system, offering greater protection from metabolic diseases during stressful periods, and improves overall cow performance, including udder health and reproductive function.
Tune in to learn how mastering these pillars can lead to a healthier herd, fewer calving issues, and improved milk production.