Dry period feeding crucial for health
* Milk Fever: Feeding 4-5 ounces of pre-calver mineral per day for about six weeks before calving helps. Three to four ounces of limestone flour fed at calving and again 12 hours later is helpful in problem cases. Avoid having cows too fat at calving.
* Ketosis:Symptoms are dullness, going off feed, sudden drop in milk production and a characteristic smell from cow’s breath, milk and urine. Contact your vet for treatment at the first sign of the problem. A low level of the problem throughout the herd causes poor performance or ill health, but ketosis can cause serious losses.
* Acidosis: A sudden increase in concentrates after calving, or feeding high levels with too much starchy or acid ingredients is a frequent cause. Very low pH silage increases the risk. As well as a reduction in appetite and a drop in yield. There may be general lack of thrive, panting and laminitis, causing lameness. The best preventative is to feed adequate fibre and a fibrous dairy ration. Introduce concentrates gradually after calving. Alkaline substances such as bread soda may help.
* Difficult Calvings: As with the metabolic diseases referred to above, proper dry period feeding will minimise the problem. High quality dry cow minerals and bull selection are essential, assuming BVD and other infectious diseases are under control.
