What We’ve Learned About Dry-cow Diets

The “steam-up” ration for pre-fresh cows has essentially become a thing of the past. In its place is a more measured approach to dry-cow nutrition to meet the metabolic and immunological needs of the transition cow, according to Cornell University professor Tom Overton.“Through intensive research, we’ve learned and implemented a lot about transition care in the past 10 to 15 years,” Overton told an audience at the 2016 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference. “One of the most important findings is that cows don’t need, and really can’t handle, an abundance of protein and energy in the dry period.” Overton said cows metabolically do not process excess nitrogen well at the time of calving. He advised focusing pre-fresh protein supplementation on rumen-undegradable protein sources, with additional amino acid supplementation. He shared guidelines promoted by nutritionist Patrick French of 1,300 g/day of metabolizable protein, supplemental methionine at 30g/day, and supplemental lysine at 90 g/day for pre-fresh Holsteins. He also suggested keeping energy low in the far-off dry-cow ration (0.59 to 0.63 Mcal/kg of net energy of lactation [NEL]; 110 to 120% of energy requirements; and