Nutrition and management of dry cow health
Many successful farmers are now putting a lot of effort into developing an effective management plan for their dry cows.
The aim is to have cows drying off (C.S.3 to 3.25) in the same condition as they will calve down.
Adequate energy, minerals and trace elements are very important.
Dairygold and some other feed companies have developed specific feeding and management systems for the dry cow period.
Dairygold, Keenan’s, Dairymaster, Alltech and some other companies have combined to provide successful dry cow feeding systems which ensures that each cow gets her requirements.
Nutrition related health problems are one of the most under rated problems on Irish dairy farms.
As well as infertility, mastitis, lameness and production problems, which are very obvious to farmers, there are many other very serious health problems associated with having dry cows being over or under fed or not being properly supplemented with minerals/trace elements.
Top nutritionists and vets frequently outline some of these diseases including milk fever, ketosis, fatty liver, acidosis, retained placentas, metritis, difficult calvings, laminitis, lameness, mastitis and displaced abomasums.
Very interestingly, they emphasise that up to 90% of losses associated with some of these diseases can be sub clinical or sub acute and may not be obvious to farmers.
Metabolic diseases around calving time and in early lactation cause major losses on many farms and account for much of the huge difference in profitability between similar type farms.
The risks are greater in cows that are bred for high yields.
Preventative measures are essential as one problem is likely to lead to others.
For example cows that get milk fever are eight times more likely to get other problems.
Unsuitable nutrition
(minerals /trace elements)
- Increases culling rate
- Increases metabolic disease
- Reduces fertility
- Increases lameness
- Increases Mastitis
- Reduces milk yield and composition
- Has enormous potential to reduce profit
Having cows too fat can be as bad as too thin. All cows should be in CS 3 to 3.5 as soon as possible after drying off and maintained in this condition until calving.
An extremely important time for proper nutritional status is in the weeks leading up to calving and in early lactation until cows are back incalf.
Due to some difficult super levy situations in the past, some over quota farmers were careless with this aspect of dairy herd management and this only made a bad situation worst.
Research has shown that there is a large reduction in feed intake and energy balance (about 50%) in the weeks pre calving.
Where management and feed quality is not suitable, there is an increased risk of:
- Slow and difficult calving and retained placentaFatty liver and Ketosis
- Displaced Abomasums
- Reduced feed intake and production after calvin
- Reduced Fertility
- Immunosuppression, leaving animals susceptible to other diseases
The following problems are associated with cows that are too fat during the dry period:
- Long periods of low intakes / negative energy after calving
- Increased chances of milk fever, fatty liver, ketosis, difficult calving, retained placenta and displaced abomasum
- 30% lower feed intake / lower production in early lactation
Based on these finding there is obviously no alternative to having dry cows in the correct condition score (C.S.) Ideally, cows should be dried off around C.S. 3 to 3.25 and be maintained in that condition until calving.
Loss of condition between calving and breeding has a major effect on fertility.
Large scale Moorepark farm trials indicate that cows which lose a half C.S. or more have a much lower conception rate than those losing only a quarter of a C.S.
Transition feeding of a few kgs of properly balanced concentrates for a few weeks prior to calving is successful in many herds as it minimise the reduction in intake pre calving and conditions the rumen for higher levels of concentrates after calving.
This is particularly important in high yielding early calving herds where fairly high levels of concentrates are fed after calving and where grass is not available for six weeks.
A sudden change in diet after calving can potentially lead to acidosis where high levels of concentrates are fed.
Concentrates should be introduced very gradually, especially where transition feeding is not practiced.
Rumen pH samples from sample herds tested by UCD indicate that a quarter of herds may suffer from sub acute acidosis (may not be obvious).
This often leads to laminitis, reduces feed intake, causes negative energy balance, excess loss of body condition in early lactation, and reduces mounting behaviour.
Sub Clinical Milk Fever
About 5-7 % of cows get clinical milk fever (hypocalcaemia), where they may go down and require veterinary treatment.
However, 20 to 39% of cows can be affected by sub clinical hypocalcaemia (milk fever) around calving and later in lactation with the following symptoms:
- Retained placenta /slow calving
- Low feed intakes after calving
- Reduced immune system
- Delayed ovulation after calving and reduced fertility
- Low blood calcium for up to 45 days after calving.
It is likely that sub clinical hypocalcaemia is causing a lot of unexplained problems on dairy farms. Where problems are suspected they should be thoroughly investigated with blood tests etc.
Dry cow diets should be properly supplemented with high quality minerals and trace elements (Teagasc Formulation) especially for six weeks before calving.
They should have sufficient bulk in their diet and concentrates should be introduced to their diets a few weeks before calving.
This reduces the period of inadequate intake before and after calving.
Every farmer should have a milk fever control strategy.
This should include regular Body Condition Scoring, ensuring magnesium supplement fed (0.4% of diet) and limit access to high K and high N forage.
Average Irish silage has 2.3% K while ideally forage should have less than 1.8 K.
Even though high quality grass is and will remain the most important aspect of dairy cow nutrition in Ireland it is equally important to have cows in proper condition and properly supplemented throughout the whole year, especially the dry period.
Ideally, silage should be tested in order to formulate proper dietary requirements for all stock.
