THE LINK BETWEEN UDDER HEALTH AND DRY COW MANAGEMENT
Last month we talked about why dry cow management is critical, though often overlooked. This month I wanted to dive further into the dry period’s importance to udder health. During this time, the cow’s udder repairs itself, her immune system gets back on track, and her body builds up reserves for the next lactation. If […]
HOW FEEDING THE CORRECT MINERALS DURING PREGNANCY BOOSTS COW AND CALF HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY
Raising strong, healthy cows isn’t just about the day-to-day feed and setting up future generations for success. Because calves rely on nutrients from their mother during fetal development, mineral intake during a cow’s pregnancy is one of the most important factors in achieving this goal. Known as ‘fetal programming,’ the idea is that a calf’s […]
MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR POST-CALVING RECOVERY
Post-calving recovery is extremely important and we need to ensure our cows are transitioning smoothly from giving birth into milk production. Providing the right nutritional support through various vitamin and mineral supplements can boost their recovery and overall health. Post-calving recovery – trace minerals and vitamins Trace minerals and vitamins help to maintain a cow’s […]
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOWNER COWS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Every dairy farmer knows the health of their herd is paramount. However, despite our best efforts, downer cows are still too common an occurrence, presenting a concerning challenge. Unable to stand or move, these cows not only pose a risk to themselves but also to the overall productivity and profitability of your farm. In this […]
MINERAL DEFICIENCY DIRECTLY RELATED TO EMPTY RATES
Successfully carrying the foetus through to full term is quite a balancing act. Maintaining a successful pregnancy requires the correct level of energy, and protein, as well as a quality source of carbohydrates. In the case of a ruminant, this means good-quality fibre. Also required is a correctly balanced ratio of minerals and vitamins. These are all critical factors in maintaining the very tightly balanced ratio of hormones required in early pregnancy.
DRYING OFF DAIRY COWS
With winter approaching you will no doubt be giving some thought to what date the cows should be dried off.
SETTING THE DATE:
Most of you will consider a number of factors when deciding on the exact date and approach used. Among things that will be considered will be, available feed, current cow condition, as well as expected calving spread. Some of you will choose to dry the whole herd off in one go, others will choose to dry off based on current condition, lighter cows first, heavier cows later, or if the calving dates are well spread, the decision may be based more around expected calving date.
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES:
Many farmers may consider drying off their cows gradually by extending the time between milking’s, however expert opinion seems to favour, simply ceasing to milk the cow causing sudden dry off, as it is thought that this approach minimises risk of udder infection.
THINGS TO CONSIDER: