Starch

The development of rumen papilla in the dry period is essential to maximise the rumen surface area. Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA)are created by microbial digestion of fibre. The papilla are required to transfer the Volatile Fatty Acids into the cow's blood stream where they will be used as a major energy source and for milk production.

Papilla are also the major site for bicarbonate transfer into the rumen, playing a major role in rumen pH control.

The major driver for papillary development is dietary starch.

Starch in the dry cow transition period will drive papillary development, ensuring energy transfer into milk and control of acidosis.

Minerals

It is essential that the Dry Cow diet has sufficient Minerals to meet the need of pregnancy and early lactation. It's a complex area of nutrition to ensure the optimal provision of Minerals. We believe in using a product which demonstrates high levels of availability to the cow ensuring maximal value. The Availa products use unique technology, binding each mineral molecule to an amino acid, giving the highest biological efficacy of any trace mineral products on the market

Milk Fever Control

Control of Milk Fever is one of the primary considerations of the late pregnancy diet. It can be difficult to consistently provide a low potassium, low calcium diet, especially when dry cows must be grazed or fed grass silage. X-Zelit is the original, novel calcium and phosphorus binder which naturally up-regulates the cow's ability to mobilize her own calcium reserves for effective milk fever prevention. This mode of action is potentially simpler to incorporate into transition cow management compared to a full DCAD.

X-Zelit has been proven through numerous University trials, field tests, and producer experience reports to effectively and easily reduce milk fever incidence and greatly improve post calving health.

Metabolic acidifiers (DCAD) in the diet such as Ammonium Chloride also ensure that the hormonal control of calcium is upregulated, ready to mitigate the risk of higher potassium diets.

Reducing Metabolic Risk

Using a dry cow concentrate allows :-

• Feeding a high fibre diet to maximise rumen stretch. Using a concentrate to feed the rumen microbes ensures efficient, productive ruminal fermentation and digestion. Ultimately a fully stretched rumen encourages increased dry matter intake after calving, reducing Ketosis risk.
• Delivery of efficient, high-quality protein, reducing the need for cows to use their own tissue, lessening metabolic stress. This supports better liver function and reduces risk of fatty liver and ketosis.
• The ability to add components such as X-Zelit and Ammonium Chloride to reduce Milk Fever risk.
• Healthy development of ruminal papilla. Maximising rumen surface area ensures all products of rumen microbial digestion are absorbed and utilised effectively. It also optimises control of acidosis.
• Incorporation of products such as Isoferm which directly feed the fibre digesting bacteria, greatly increasing quantities of microbial protein created.
• Incorporation of products such as MecoVit, a protected Methionine. The protection prevents it being utilised by the rumen microbes and passing directly into the cow’s small intestine. Once absorbed it provides a vital function in the mobilisation of fat out of the Liver, reducing the impact of ketosis and fatty liver.
• Incorporation of products such as ECM3 (Choline) which reduces the impact of Insulin Resistance, aiding energy control during the late Dry Period.

Muscle Recovery

It is increasingly recognised that muscle repair and recovery during the dry period is essential for a successful lactation. Ensuring correct protein provision and maximising yield of microbial protein is critical for this. Feeding to ensure microbial growth, including use of direct microbial feeds such as Isoferm can have significant impact on subsequent lactation health and yields.