Dry Period Management in Dairy Cows
*Ratnaprabha M. B. M.V.Sc. (LPM)
Veterinary College, KVAFSU, Nandinagar, Bidar- Karnataka
ratnaprabhamb5@gmail.com
Dairy cow requires a non lactating rest period prior to calving in order to improve milk production in subsequent lactation. This nonlactating period is known as dry period. i.e. the period between the end of one lactation and the beginning of the next. Dry period is needed to improve body condition and to regenerate the milk secreting tissues. Today dry cow nutrition and management is an important part of total herd management because this has big impact on milk production and health during next lactation.
The objectives of proper dry cow management are:
- Proper nourishment of the developing calf.
- To maintain optimum body condition of Animal.
- Mammary gland will get prepared for the next lactation.
- Prepare the digestive tract for the next lactation.
- Minimize digestive, metabolic, and infectious diseases.
Length of dry period:
Earlier it was believed that dairy cows needed a dry period to restore nutritional reserves. But, it is now known that the active milk-producing cells need to involute to a nonsecretory, resting state to prepare for the next lactation. As the calving period approaches, these cells again regain their activity to produce new milk producing tissues, the number of milk producing tissues increases with each lactation. If a dry period is not allowed, the milk production will be 25 to 30% less in the next lactation and also this nonlactating period is related to the dynamics of intramammary infection within a dairy herd so dry period management is needed for good herd health.
With calving interval of 12- 13 months, a dry period of 45 to 65 days is recommended. Standard length of dry period is 60 days (39 far off dry period and 21 days of close up dry period) (Hutjens, 1988). Length of dry period in Primiparous is 50-60 days and 35-45 days in multiparous cows (Rastani et al., 2005). Dry periods less than 45 days and more than 60 days results in less milk production in the next subsequent lactation. In Short dry periods no adequate udder involution, and long dry periods result in over-conditioned dry cows which results in decreased in milk yield.
Different Ways of Dry cow Management:
- Drying off
- Nutritional management
- Housing & Environmental management
- Health management
- Drying off: Management technique of ceasing the milking in the cows that are still lactating.
Methods of drying off
- Abrupt cessation of milking and administering dry cow therapy: Better one for low yielders.
- Intermittent milking only once a day during the last week of lactation and administering dry cow therapy after the last milking: Best method for high yielder cow and mastitis affected cows. In high producing cows it is necessary to reduce feed intake for 1-2 weeks prior to drying off. Reducing feed intake by 50 to 70% will drastically reduce the supply of nutrients available to the udder, causing decrease milk synthesis. High fiber & low calorie diet should be given without withholding the water intake.
- Nutritional management
Feeding should be such that maximum milk production should occur in subsequent lactation and so that metabolic disorder such as milk fever, displaced abomasum and ketosis can be eliminated.
Primary goals for feeding dry cow are
- Maintain dietary fibre content
- Optimum intake of energy
- Avoid over feeding protein
- Meet mineral and vitamin requirement
- Feeding of more forage can result in excessive protein, calcium, and potassium intake, which make the cow more susceptible to udder edema, milk fever, ketosis, and certain types of reproductive problems caused by protein and mineral imbalances.
- Maximizing dry matter intake during this period will promote maximum dry matter intake in early lactation and improve milk production.
- Vitamins A, D, and E are important for proper dry cow nutrition.
- During the dry period avoid feeding of excessive calcium and keep the calcium to phosphorus ratio between 2:1 to 1.5:1
- 2-3 weeks before calving DMI is declined about 1.5 to 1.8% of body weight from 3.0% during lactation. Due to decrease DMI, cows within two to three weeks of calving should be placed on a more nutrient-dense diet in order to meet their nutrient needs.
Nutrient requirement of cattle (NRC, 2001)
- Housing & Environmental management:
Dry cows are highly susceptibility to udder infections during this time, thus the provision of clean and dry environment is recommended to reduce new infections at calving. Use of straw or inorganic bedding material in maternity pens is preferred than the sawdust, which supports the growth of coliforms.
At drying off, cows should be separated from the lactating herd. The dry cows should be housed in a cleaned and well drained pasture or shed. House should not be muddy or overcrowded, and that can be observed easily several times a day. Plantation should be done around the sheds; Proper ventilation should be there in the house. This will help to improve the health and overall well-being of both the cow and the calf.
- Health management:
The major metabolic disorders that affect dry cows are usually the result of nutrition and feed management problems so proper feeding is important. Milk fever is prevented by feeding low calcium diet 2-3 weeks before calving. After calving cow must provide balanced ration with adequate calcium and other nutrients. Deficiency of Vitamin A, E and selenium leads to retained placenta, supplementation of Vitamin-E and selenium is helpful. If placenta is retained longer than 2-3 days medical attention may required. Avoiding extra fattening during dry period will helps in preventing the occurrence of ketosis. Occurrences of udder infections are more during the dry period. Susceptibility to new infection by the environmental pathogens, such as environmental streptococci and coliforms, is increased just prior to calving, which is due to: Increased fluid volume and dilation of the teat canal; Reduced leukocyte numbers and loss of their ability to kill microorganisms; utilization of milk components by mastitis microorganisms for growth; Reduced antimicrobial activity of milk; and stress associated with the impending parturition.
Dry cow therapy is most important management tool in preventing mastitis by;
- a) Directly through the effect of the antibiotic.
- b) Indirectly by promoting the formation of teat sealants. Because during dry period retention time of antibiotic in the udder is longer so incidence of new infections is reduced and damaged tissue is allowed to redevelop.
Prepartum accumulation of colostrum in the udder and associated structural changes to the teat duct because this may lead to the loss of the keratin seal, allowing entrance of bacteria. This may hamper the contraction of the sphincter muscle of teat canal leads to udder infections. So, prepartum milking has been attempted to reduce the risk of infection as well as to stimulate milk production.
Summary: The dry period is the end of one lactation and the beginning of the next. Proper feeding and management are critical to obtaining maximum dry matter intake, good health, increased reproductive efficiency and optimum milk production in the following lactation. So provide 45-60 days of dry period, separate dry cow from milking herd. Feed a balanced ration to provide adequate body condition and to limit excessive fattening. Provide green and clean place for calving.
References:
- Hutjens, M.F.1988: Dry cow, Transition rations, IL Dairy day report, crop extension service. Uni. Idinois, Urbana, IL, 21.
- National Research Council. 2001. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition, 2001. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
- R. Rastani, R.R. Grummer, S.J.Bertics, A.Gumen, M.C. Witbank, D.G.Mashek and M.C.Schwab. 2005: Reducing Dry period length to simplify feeding transition cows: Milk production, energy balance and metabolic profiles. J.Dairy Sci, 88:1004-1014.
- Ricardo C. Luís G. D. Mendonça and Pietro S. Baruselli. 2017. Association between body condition score change during the dry period and postpartum health and performance. J. Dairy Sci. 101:1–20.
- https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/importance-of-dry-period-for-cows-its-management-tips/
https://dairy-cattle.extension.org/importance-of-dry-cow-management-in-the-control-of-mastitis/
