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.
Trouble-free calving through balanced nutrition.
Reduced ketosis risk with optimal energy balance.
Avoidance of milk fever via smart nutritional management.
Negative energy balance carefully minimised.
Strong, productive start to lactation.
Improved colostrum quality and calf immunity.
Tailored management enhances recovery & fertility.
Intakes optimised to prevent displaced abomasum.
Overcoming retained membranes with better transition care.
Never accept transition problems as unavoidable.
Whether you manage dry cows as one group, two groups, at grass, housed: the aims of feeding and management strategies are the same. Avoiding health incidents around calving and encouraging high intakes to promote milk yield; Launching them into Lactation.
Rumen fill
Consistent, high dry matter intake is the key to all feeding strategies through the transition period. A ‘stretched’ rumen, kept full, will maximise intakes post calving. Every extra kilogram of dry matter intake post calving could equate to an extra litre of milk. Every extra litre of milk at peak equals an extra 230 litres during lactation.
Filled with what?
Fibre
Dry cows have significantly less requirements in terms of energy and protein than the milking cow, but they do have a requirement.
The balance between encouraging dry matter intake whilst meeting a lower energy requirement is met by encouraging the rumen to do what it does best, fibre digestion.
The key is palatability, presented consistently. Chopping forages to 3-5cm will encourage intakes whilst promoting chewing and saliva buffering.
Starch
Despite the lower energy requirement at the end of pregnancy, we must ensure that the rumen is properly prepared for the post calving diet. The lining of the rumen is essential for absorption of nutrients and transfer of bicarbonate for buffering. The creation of this high surface area of papilla is driven by the presence of starch in the late pregnancy.
The presence of starch will also encourage the presence of the microbial population required for the more energy dense, starchier milking diet.
Dry cow nuts, cereals or maize provided at the correct stage, in the correct quantities will meet these requirements without encouraging increased weight gain or excess calf growth.
Protein
A reduced requirement during the dry period doesn’t mean no requirement!
Protein is required for
- Mammary gland repair.
- Body condition and muscle replenishment.
- Calf development.
- Quality colostrum creation.
Fibre digestion requires a rumen degradable source of protein (RDP) for the microbial population to thrive and multiply. The resulting quantity of bacteria and protozoa are subsequently digested by the cow, providing most of the cow’s metabolizable protein requirements.
Sources of RDP; grass silage, clovers, rapeseed meal
Not all protein requirements can be met by rumen microbial protein and some high quality, Rumen Undegradable Protein is required (rUDP). This will provide the essential building blocks for tissue repair, growth and colostrum creation.
Sources of rUDP – Soya meal (heat treated), protected amino acids
Water
Often the overlooked nutrient!
Copious quantities of clean, palatable water are required for rumen function and fibre digestion. A dry cow will drink 60 litres per day; 4-5 litres per kg of Dry matter.
Sufficient trough space (10cm per cow), clean troughs, rapid refill rates, clean and palatable are essential and have a huge impact on cow and rumen health.
And what else?
Once we have met the nutritional non-negotiables above, it then gives us the opportunity for ‘fine-tuning’ and additions to optimise diet and cow performance.
Nutritional additives
Isoacids (Isoferm): Stimulate fibre-digesting bacteria, improving microbial protein yield and immunity.
Protected choline & methionine (MecaVit): Support liver function, reduce fatty liver and ketosis, and enhance milk yield.
Chromium (ECM3): Enhances glucose uptake, immune performance, and stress resilience.
The Environment
The best diet in the world just wont work if the cows can’t eat enough! Fresh, palatable food, regularly pushed up with any waste removed is key, or sufficient, fresh grazing available 24 hours per day. Sufficient feed space (90cm per cow), adequate lying space, consideration of stressful social group changes and the impact of painful conditions such as lameness must also be considered.
Milk Fever Control
The transition diet is essential for control of hypocalcaemia in fresh calved cows. The impacts are massive on cow immunity, health, yield and fertility. Costs are often quoted at over £400 per clinical case, based on production, fertility and likelihood of premature culling. Equally important is the sub-clinical low calcium situation, which probably affects 6 x more cows. Costs are often quoted more than £70 per cow.
Nutritional management of Dry Cows to control milk fever is often perceived as complicated. However, adhering to some fundamental, simple principles will greatly reduce the risk.
Ketosis
Traditionally considered a primary lack of energy in the milking cow, we now understand it is a complex condition, with its control deeply embedded in the transition period. As well as affecting production it has a major impact on immune function and fertility. Maximizing intakes in the dry period, avoiding over-conditioning, minimising inflammatory conditions and reducing stress are critical.
So, what’s the strategy?
There is no, one size fits all! Every farm is different in its cows, its environment and its infra structure.
But if we keep sight of the main aims of transition cow management we are setting our cows up for success:
- High dry matter intakes.
- High-Fibre base diet.
- Fresh, regular provision with removal of waste.
- Correct provision of protein and starch.
- Focus on water
- Control calcium metabolism.
- Comfortable, spacious lying areas.
- Pain free, stress-free cows.
The crux of it
Transition feeding strategies are not optional fine-tuning. They are non-negotiable, frontline measures that protect cow health, improve calf survival, and safeguard farm profits. The future of the cow’s lactation starts weeks before she calves.
Our Nutritional team are best placed to discuss a feed strategy that is individual to your farm and your cows to harness the power of a good transition.
Together we can help Launch into Lactation!