The dry period, usually lasting 60 days before calving, serves essential roles in preparing cows for lactaton, promoting mammary cell renewal and facilitating treatment for subclinical mastitis. However, shortening or eliminating this period has become a strategy to manage milk production, redistributing energy balance and mtigating the risk of metabolic disorders like subclinical ketosis.
Research suggests that halving or eliminating the conventional 60-day dry period can significantly improve energy balance and metabolic health in dairy cows, leading to potential increases in vodyweight and condition score by the end of lactation. This approach aims to maintain positive energy balance, prevent overfeeding in later lactation and ensure consistent milk yield and lactation persistence.
While this approach can reduce the need for ration adjustments, it presents challenges such as increased risk of intramammary infections.
Dietary management
To maintain optimal milk yield and composition when managing short to no dry periods, it is important to tailor the diet to match the energy requirements of the cow based on her expected milk production. This may require fine-tuning the balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Studies have explored dietary modifications to enhance the energy balance of cows during early lactation following a shortened or no dry period. Implementing a glucogenc diet in early lactation by increasing corn in the feed is helpful, since it is richer in starch and promotes energy balance by proving glucose precursors. This adjustment helps prevent excessive negative energy balance (NEB) and decreases plasma beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) concentration, and thus ketone bodies formation.
Continue reading this article published in Progressive Dairy.
