Stuart Gough

Managing Metabolic Risk

Good dry cow management launches them into lactation. Every dairy farmer knows the weeks around calving are critical. The “transition period” (about three weeks before and after calving) is when cows face their toughest metabolic test. Feed intake drops just as energy demands rise, and the cow starts pulling on her fat reserves. Managed well, she glides through this phase and into milk production. Managed poorly, she’s at risk of ketosis, fatty liver, retained placenta, displaced abomasum, or fertility issues later on.

Keeping cows steady: managing milk fever and low calcium

Why calcium balance matters

Around calving, a cow’s calcium needs triple to produce colostrum and milk. If her body cannot mobilise calcium fast enough, she may suffer from milk fever (clinical hypocalcaemia) or hidden low calcium (subclinical hypocalcaemia). Both can cause loss of appetite, weaker muscles, and higher risk of disease, leading to reduced fertility and milk yield.

Transition Feeding Strategies - Launching into Lactation

The 3 weeks before and after calving are arguably the most important in the Dairy Cows calendar. Getting everything right is critical for the cow’s health, fertility, and milk yield. Often referred to as the “transition period” (−21 to +21 days around calving), poorly managed nutrition during this window can directly influence many aspects of cow's health and performance, impacting on future production and calf health.

Managing dry cows without Kexxtone: New tools for a new challenge

With Kexxtone™ boluses no longer available, transition cow management is facing renewed scrutiny. For many, particularly those managing high-risk or high-yielding herds, the question is: how do we continue to support energy balance and rumen function in the final weeks before calving without relying on monensin?

Where has all the Kexxtone gone?

With recent discussions around dry cow management gaining momentum, it’s important to address the ongoing unavailability of Kexxtone and how this impacts transition cow strategies on farm.

Are your Cows Trending?

Dairy farms generate huge amounts of data—some find it invaluable, others struggle to link it to daily decisions. And let’s be honest: a graph on its own never made anything better. But spotting trends and setting trigger points for review, that’s where the value lies.