Should We Manage Dry Off Differently in Robotic Herds?
Drying off cows is a constant chore on every dairy farmer’s to-do list. It’s a necessary process and a critical phase in an animal’s lactation cycle, however, it can also be a stressful time for the animal and a time-suck for the producer.
In a perfect world, producers would gradually dry-off a cow by reducing milking frequency leading up to dry-off. However, this strategy can take considerably more time than the abrupt dry-off method the majority of dairy farmers utilize. According to Emily Fread, a graduate research assistant with The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, farmers utilizing robotic milking facilities may have an upper hand when it comes to gradually drying cows off.
“While abrupt dry-off is still used in almost 75% of dairy herds in the United States, dairy welfare concerns have risen regarding increased pressure and discomfort in the udder post-dry-off,” Fread says. “Typically, feeding lower energy diets towards the end of lactation sends cows into a negative energy balance, resulting in decreased milk production. With the growing popularity of milking robots, it may be possible to reduce milking frequency before dry-off instead of or in addition to feeding a lower energy diet to limit milk production.”
According to a recent study conducted in Denmark, restricting an animal’s access to the robot is just as effective in lowering milk yield as feeding a lower energy diet. This process will gradually begin to decrease milk production, allowing the producer to slowly dry the animal off.
“Traditional milking parlors are typically not designed to easily lower milking frequency of select cattle. However, milking robots can be programmed to deny entry to cows leading up to dry-off, giving the farmer more control of milking frequency,” Fread says.
More control of the dry-off process can also lead to improved milk quality going into the next lactation, Fread notes. “Implementing gradual dry-off strategies using robots to reduce milking frequency may also provide producers with the opportunity to utilize selective dry-off therapy. Cows producing less at dry-off will leak less post-dry-off than high producers. This allows a better keratin plug to form in the teat more quickly, giving the cow the best natural protectant against intramammary infections,” she says.
Besides improved animal health and welfare benefits, gradual dry-off in robotic facilities can also create economic benefits as well. Cows who are producing less milk in the gradual dry-off process also tend to consume less feed. The University of Florida estimated that these feed cost savings, in addition to the savings from reduced mastitis incidences, could save a producer $29 per cow compared to abrupt dry-off.
“Advancing technology allows producers to make management decisions to improve dairy welfare, as well as the economic status of the farm,” Fread says. “Understanding and harnessing the benefits of milking robots include the denial of cow entry leading up to dry- off. Reducing milking frequency before dry-off in robotic milking facilities satisfies both the animal welfare and economic components of making a new management decision.”
