Managing Your Dry Cows: Nutrition and Management Tips to make the next Lactation Profitable

Producers do realize, or at least they should from articles in the popular press, that poor dry cow management (nutrition and housing) costs them money in terms of decreased milk and component yields, increased health issues such as retained placenta and displaced abomasums, and last but not least, reduced fertility. When managing the dry dairy cow, producers should take into consideration matters of nutrition and management in order to increase the profitability a cow might achieve when her next lactation begins.

Dry Cow Nutrition

Nutrition is the largest part of the equation when it comes to dry cow management. Sixty percent of fetal weight gained over the 9 month gestation period is gained in the last 60 days prior to calving. In other words, a calf weighing 88 lbs at birth is going to gain 53 lbs of that weight during the dry period of the cow. Therefore, the nutrient requirement of the dry cow is primarily due to the fetus' requirements for nutrients and the cow's own needs become of secondary importance.

The fetus requires glucose (sugar) for energy and amino acids (building blocks of protein) for growth. This must be supplied by the mother across the fetal barrier. The cow will need to obtain these nutrients through the digestion of forage and grain supplied by the dry cow feeding strategy. Adequate vitamin and mineral nutrition is important for the health of the cow, particularly Vitamins A and E, calcium, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Therefore, calculating dry matter intake (DMI) of the dry cow is crucial to ensuring adequate energy, protein, vitamin and mineral intake.

Over the last decade or so, much emphasis has been placed on maximizing the DMI of the close-up cow to ensure proper energy intake and to avoid possible problems like fatty liver disease. Research has shown that DMI can decrease up to 30% during the last 14 days before calving. On most farms close-up dry cow groups contain animals varying in days before calving and this makes obtaining a reliable estimate of DMI challenging.

When post-calving problems arise on the farm, we typically investigate the protocols being used in the close-up pen, which consist of cows that are about 3 weeks away from calving. However, it is not uncommon for find that the problem begins with the far-off group of dry cows. One of the first steps to take is to calculate the DMI of both the far-off and close-up groups.

In these herds, the emphasis has been placed on providing a palatable, high energy diet to the close-up group while the far-off group has received grass silage and local hay and/or straw. The DMI in the far-off group will fall below the expected intake per day as shown in Figure 1.

Upon moving to the close-up group, these same cows are offered the high-energy diet containing corn silage, alfalfa and/or local hay and grain. In order to "make up for lost time" the cows respond accordingly by increasing their dry matter intake. Then as the calving time nears, cows start to eat less and less. Scientific research and our own veterinary observation would suggest that the decline in DMI is steeper for cows that are fed in the previously outlined manner. This drastic decrease leads to an increased incidence of metabolic problems post calving.

To combat this problem equal consideration should be given to both the far-off and close-up calving groups in order to obtain a flatter DMI intake curve and avoid excessive feed intake depression prior to calving. This can be accomplished by improving the quality of the far-off diet or adding some straw or local hay into the close-up diet.

Mineral nutrition, or lack of, is another area that can require attention when investigating transition cow health problems. Provision of minerals through a close-up grain in the three short weeks period prior to calving, often cannot compensate for the lack of minerals supplied during the far-off period. Minerals such as zinc and selenium are directly involved in the immune response to challenges from disease such as mastitis and metritis. Also, it is important that cows receive adequate mineral supplements because they are responsible for providing the essential minerals to the fetus.

Dry Cow Management

Aside from nutrition, management also plays an important role in the success of the dry cow program on a dairy. Housing and cow comfort are incredibly vital when caring for transition cows. If housed in freestalls, ensure there is one stall per animal and that the stalls are wide and long enough to allow a pregnant cow to lie down and get up comfortably. It is also important that dry bedding is provided and kept clean on a regular basis to protect udder health. If cows are housed on a bedded pack, it is recommended that far-off cows receive 50 ft2 of space per cow and close up cows receive 100 ft2 per cow.

Hoof trimming and foot bath care during the dry period should not be neglected. Lame dry cows lose weight quickly because they won't get up to the feed bunk as often if their feet are sore. This has a direct effect on the calf she is carrying and could cause a variety of health problems prior to and post calving.

Dry cow management sets the stage for the next lactation. Sound protocols regarding management such as bedding, bunk space, and foot care should be followed closely. Maintaining an adequate ration is vital. Ensuring that DMI provides the necessary energy, protein, vitamins and minerals will help to set the stage for a successful calving and transition into milking status. Dry cow care is not just for close-up cows, it is critical for cows farther-off their calving dates as well. A well thought-out dry cow program is absolutely necessary to the success and profitability of the upcoming lactation.

Article by: Dr. Rich Vanderwal, DVM & Dr. Mary Lou Swift, Abbotsford Veterinary Clinic,

Abbotsford - BC