Dry Cow Management

Muhammad Farrukh Hafeez

 Reasons for the Dry Period
• Give the cow a rest
• Cure any health problems
• Provide for the developing calf
• Regenerate mammary cells
• Prepare her for calving
• Prepare her for the next lactation
 What Determines Length of
Dry Period?

1.Reproductive efficiency
2.Persistency of production
3.Level of production
4.Manager
Effect of Dry Period Length
 Shorter Dry Periods
• Advantages
– Eliminate far-off group
– Reduce dry cow housing
– Less changes in diet
– Decreased metabolic
disorders
– Fewer changes in diet
– Less drop in condition
postpartum
– Faster return to reproductive
activity
• Disadvantages
– Decreased milk (90-95%)
– Mammary involution
requires 2-3 weeks
– Lack of a rest phase
– Variation in gestation may
cause some cows to be dry
less than 30 days
– Effects on colostum quality
(<30 days)
– More problem breeders
don’t fit
 How to Dry Off
• Depends on level of production
• Not pressure related - need to build up FIL
protein in the udder to suppress milk production
• FIL - Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation
• Some dry off naturally
• Reduce milking frequency (IX)
• Stop milking - cold turkey
• Reduce feed
• Reduce water
 Dry Treatment
• Many cases of mastitis occur during the
dry period
• Infused antibiotics can stay in the udder for
a longer period of time
• New product – Orbeseal
• Select product based on lab cultures
• Double treatment – Staph aureus
• Treating heifers
 Two Parts to Dry Period
• Early - rest and relaxation
– 40-45 days
• Late - get them steamed up
– 15-20 days
– Also called transition, steam up, prefresh
period
 Maintenance Requirements
Physiological State

Producing
Nutrient Maintenance2 Dry, Pregnant 30 lbs milk3
Crude protein,
lbs
1.06 2.03 3.52
NEL, Mcal 9.57 12.44 18.87
Calcium, gm 20.9 36.3 56.3
Phosphorus. g, 16.8 25.9 41.3
2Mature lactating
33.5% BF
 Dry Period Ration
• Lots of forage
– Avoid too much corn silage and alfalfa
• Grain as needed
• Exercise
 Lead Feeding
• Begin 2-3 weeks prior to calving
• Up to 0.5 to 0.8 percent of body weight
(prior to freshening) 1 percent of body
weight at freshening
• Work up to 10 lbs of grain per day
• Add anionic salts
 Steam Up Ration Requirements
Nutrient Basic Dry-Cow Transition
Ration Ration
Energy
NE (Mcal/lb.) 0.57-0.62 0.65-0.72
TDN, % of dry 56-60 65-70
matter
Protein Equivalent
Crude protein % 12 14-15
Fiber Content
Crude fiber % 22 22
ADF% (Min) 30-35 25-30
NDF% (Min) 45-55 35-40
 Body Condition Scores for Dairy Cows

Time of scoring Desired score Acceptable range

Dry off 3.0 3.0-3.5
Calving 3.5 3.5-4.0
Peak milk 2.0 2.0-2.5
Mid-lactation 2.5 2.0-2.5
Changes in BCS During Dry Period
 Effect of Body Condition in Dry Cows on Subsequent
Reproductive Performances

BCS

3.7 4.1 4.5

Intervals between calving and
•first ovulations (days) 27 31 42
•first heat (days) 48 41 62
•conception (days) 74 90 116

First-service conception rate 65% 53% 17%

 Goals of a Dry Cow Management Program

• Avoid fat and thin cows through nutrition in late

lactation
• Feed dry cows separately from the milking herd
• Aim for a 30-60 day dry period
• Rely on forages during the dry period
• Lead feed 10-14 days prior to calving
• Feed to prevent metabolic and calving problems