Feeding and Management for High Yielder in Transition Period
Ishmeet Kumar*, Asad Khan, Jayesh Vyas PhD Scholar, Animal Genetics and Breeding Division ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana *Corresponding author email id: kumarishmeet@gmail.com
Transition period in dairy animals can be defined as 21 days before parturition to 21 days after parturition. This period on dairy animal is associated with very high metabolic and physiological stress due to which animals are seen to be affected with various metabolic and production related diseases such as milk fever, downer cow syndrome, mastitis, metritis and lactation tetany. Management during this phase is directly correlated with elongated service period and delayed conception after parturition.
Feeding and management
At least 2-3 weeks before parturition calcium supplementation to the animal must be reduced because it is seemed that supplementation of calcium before parturition gives positive feedback to the calcium homeostasis machinery of animals body which in turn reflects to low blood calcium level after calving However, decreased supplementation of calcium lead to give negative feedback mechanism and ultimately parathyroid, calcitonin and 1,25-dihdroxycholicalciferol maintains the blood calcium level which in turns decreases the chance of milk fever
Challenge feeding should be done by providing a diet with dense protein and fatty acid. After parturition daily dry matter intake (DMI) of animals reduced because of negative pressure on serum which arises through increased size of uterus some time animal has to reach peak yield but its nutrition intake is not that much sufficient which can cop up with its daily production level. Therefore animals are allowed high protein and fat density feed against in daily dry matter intake. These feeds are rice in long chain amino acid protein and long chain fatty acid lipids (omega-3-fatty acids) such as oil cake challenge feeding during this phase seemed to reduce chances of downer’s cow syndrome.
FEEDING STRATEGIES OF DAIRY CATTLE IN INDIA FOR GOOD HEALTH & BETTER MILK YIELD
Animals should be given jiggery and dry ginger and other similar things which are rich in prostaglandins PGF2-α and estrogenic in nature. This feed supplements reduced the chances of occurrence of metritis which arises through placental or fetal membrane retention. These feed supplements also reduces the chances of delayed service period
To compensate negative energy balance (NEB) high energy feed such as ethylene glycol and monensin should be supplemented, which reduces occurrence of luteal insufficiency.
At least but not the least transition period is a very crucial phase with production period is a very crucial phase with production and reproduction aspect, however it can be managed by proper fading and balanced ration supplements which reflects further in other production profit.
