Nutrition
4 tips for a successful transition period
When managed correctly, the transition period can positively influence milk production, health, reproductive success and, ultimately, profitability. To help your cows navigate the transition period and reap the benefits postpartum, it’s critical to focus on the prepartum cow, especially during the three weeks prior to calving.
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Methionine benefits transition cows
Methionine supplementation during the close-up dry period and through the first 30 days of lactation seems to improve early lactation milk yield, according to University of Illinois research.
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Evaluate starch sources
Historically, corn grain has been the cheapest source of starch in the Midwest. However, in the era of high corn prices, other starch sources should be evaluated.
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Researchers examine starch levels in fresh-cow diets
Recently, researchers at the Miner Agricultural Research Institute evaluated the effect of dietary starch content in corn silage-based diets fed in early lactation on performance and blood metabolites following a shortened (40-day) dry period where a controlled-energy diet was fed.
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Ketosis and metritis can flare with rising temperatures
Heat stress can add fuel to the flames when it comes to fresh cow risk factors for metritis. Ketosis is a fresh cow disease that is highly linked to metritis. Around 15 percent of early lactation, at-risk cows have subclinical ketosis in the first week after calving. In addition, cows with ketosis are 13.8 times more likely to develop a displaced abomasum and 1.7 times more likely to be challenged by metritis. Metritis incidence also climbs during periods of heat stress, costing producers between $304 and $354 in lost production and performance per case.
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Lameness in dry cows will likely mean ketosis in fresh cows
Ketosis is often a problem in fresh cows. A recently published study shows a strong link to lameness in dry cows.
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Optimal body condition score for dairy cows at calving
A slightly lower body condition score at calving than currently recommended might be optimal to increase feed intake and improve health.
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Revisiting transition cow problems and their impact
Field surveys show that more than 50 percent of cows will experience one or more metabolic or infectious disease process following calving.
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Wanted: High-producing, healthy fresh cows with excellent reproduction
If ever a dairy producer were to post a “wanted” poster for the ideal dairy cow, she would produce large volumes of high-quality milk, remain healthy through the most trying time of her life—the transition period—and be able to be bred back in a timely manner. However, these three factors—production, reproduction and transition—often translate to conflicting performance in the fresh pen, which has direct and defined implications on future reproductive performance.
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Close-up dry cow nutrition
Late gestation nutrition has a large impact on multiple aspects of the cow’s productivity after freshening, says Charles T. Estill, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACT, Oregon State University.
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Don’t overlook your water
Dairy producers spend a great deal of time, effort and money ensuring that dairy cow rations are fine-tuned to the “nth” degree. A few milligrams of this, a few parts per million of that, all to ensure that no stone goes unturned in the quest for the perfect ration. Unfortunately, in the process the most important nutrient of all often goes barely noticed and only lightly considered. What nutrient? Water.
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