Transitioning dairy cows from the dry period back into the milking herd is essential for herd productivity and profitability, as it influences reproductive success, milk yield, and overall health during lactation. A successful transition program focuses on proper nutrition, stress reduction, and minimizing metabolic and health issues such as ketosis, milk fever, and fatty liver.
- Preventing Overconditioning: Cows with excessive body condition scores (≥4.0) experience reduced feed intake before and after calving, which increases fat mobilization and the risk of fatty liver and ketosis. To manage this, late-lactation cows prone to overconditioning should receive adjusted diets to prevent excessive weight gain, allowing them to enter the transition period in optimal condition.
- Balanced Dry Period Diets: Proper feeding during the dry period, with a controlled energy intake, supports consistent intake around calving and reduces the risk of metabolic diseases. Forages should be carefully monitored and diets adjusted to avoid excessive energy intake and ensure balanced nutrient supply.
- Stress Minimization: Managing environmental and social stresses for close-up cows supports both intake and immunity. Key practices include providing adequate feedbunk and resting space, reducing the frequency of pen changes, minimizing heat stress, and housing heifers separately from mature cows.
- Separate Heifer Management: Heifers benefit from separate housing to reduce competition, maintain higher dry matter intake, and improve resting times, which supports better health and production outcomes.
By addressing these factors throughout the dry period and close-up phase, dairy operations can reduce early-lactation health issues and improve productivity, resulting in robust, productive cows well-prepared for the demands of lactation.
