Dairy cows
Bovins
Ruminants

Dry cows: the most common mistakes on farms

At VITALAC, we understand the challenges farmers face and the technical nature of their profession. There is no such thing as the perfect farm, and every farmer is looking to improve practices on their own farm, both to improve quality of life at work and to achieve the desired performance levels.

In dairy farming, there are many points that require attention, and dry cow management is an important one. A cow being prepared for calving is fragile and more vulnerable to challenges. Calving preparation covers the final three weeks before calving. During this period, her needs become specific and are linked to the metabolic changes she undergoes.

We take a closer look with Anthony Simon, VITALAC technical sales representative in Finistère, and Amélie Cornillet, veterinarian and VITALAC ruminant technical manager. As specialists in animal nutrition and farming practices, they focus on dry cows, which require particular attention. They highlight the weak points and provide solutions.

Partager l'article

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

The main points to watch

In general, all types of stress should be avoided for cows, and even more so for those in the dry period. The impacts of stress, whether nutritional, social, oxidative or heat-related, must be taken seriously, as they can trigger a chain reaction of problems. All the situations described below are sources of stress.

The most common ration-related mistakes

Drying off at grass

It is easy to think that a dry cow has lower requirements, but this is not true, quite the opposite. Although turning cows out to pasture may be simpler and more practical, it abruptly moves them from a maize silage-based diet, which they are used to throughout lactation, to grass and hay only. This creates an initial digestive stress that is harmful to their health. Three weeks before calving, when the cow is brought back indoors, her diet changes again, with a return to a maize silage-based ration: a second transition in the space of two months! The rumen does not have time to adapt and the flora is affected. Nutritional stress sets in and causes a drop intake, and this is where problems begin.

→ Anthony Simon’s advice
“Leave a small amount of maize in a trough, even at grass, so that the rumen remains used to maize silage and the transition is not too abrupt.”

Straw that is too long
If a ration is prepared for two or three days and contains maize that has not been chopped finely enough, together with straw that is too long, cows will sort the ration, eating the maize first and leaving the straw aside. This control points is important for maintaining consistent results.

→ Anthony's advice
"Often, by the third day, all that is left in the ration is straw! To avoid this, we recommend, cutting the straw to between 2 and 3 cm and mixing the ration thoroughly."

Straw available but not accessible
If the straw bale is too tightly packed, cows will become tired of not being able to eat it easily and will not consume it.

→ Anthony's advice
"A dry cow can eat up to 5 kg of straw per day, but it will be difficult and tiring for her if she has to struggle with a bale that is too tightly packed."

Rations that are too dry
Water should be added to maize silage and straw-based rations to reduce the dry matter content of the ration.

Rations that heat up
When rations are prepared for two or three days, they may heat up, become less palatable and lead to a drop in intake

Rations that are to rich in maize
This can happen when there are no measurements or weighing. Feeding too much maize reduces intake before calving and can lead to ketosis, even before calving. If dry cows are overfed, inflammation may develop.

→ Anthony's advice
"I give my customers the following guideline: one bucket filled with maize weighs around 6 kg, so three buckets weigh 18kg. This is a useful benchmark for calculating the amount of maize to feed per dry cow per day."

Not feeding dry cows ad libitum
Dry cows must be able to eat 24 hours a day. To stimulate intake, their rations must be available at all times.

→ Amélie Cornillet's advice
“We recommend allowing 5% refusals, which is necessary to make sure they can always eat ad libitum. The leftovers are not wasted and can be pushed back to the group at the start of the dry period."

DCAD is not always properly controlled
DCAD is a calculated value that reflects the balance between positive ions, sodium and potassium, and negative ions, chlorine and sulphur. It is sometimes necessary to provide calcium when working with a negative DCAD. This is a key technical point that must be controlled, and our technical sales representatives are trained to support farmers in this approach.

The most common mistakes in buildings

Undersized drinkers or nipple drinkers
Good intake is only possible if cows drink enough

→ Amélie's advice
"I recommend constant-level drinkers so that water is genuinely available, as with straw. Ease of use is essential"

Moving dry cows between groups too often
This creates social stress, which is not without consequences and can lead to increased inflammation.

Neglecting the details
Not enough feed bunk space, a step that is too high to access it, not enough headlocks (as a reminder, the recommendation is 8 cows for 10 headlocks) and so on. Sometimes, the accumulation of all these small details means that dry cows do not eat properly or sufficiently, and this is where problems begin.

Not taking heat stress into account
Studies show that a cow experiencing heat stress during the dry period will produce 5 kg less milk at peak lactation. Her calf will also be affected: lower birth weight, slower growth and less milk produced during first lactation.

→ Amélie's advice
"The first place to install fans on a farm is the dry cow pen. It is not always the first thing people think of, but it makes a real difference!"

"At VITALAC, we offer dry cow programmes to farmers. Of course, we recommend effective products that are particularly suited to this physiological stage in the dairy cow, but our support does not stop there. We carry out regular check on farms, and nothing is left to chance. Among other things, we measure the DCAD value of forages, urinary pH and blood glucose. Quality products, regular measurements and good farming practices are the keys to successful calving preparation."

Amélie Cornillet

Veterinarian, Ruminant Manager at VITALAC

"On farm, I always try to find a compromise between the expected results and what is feasible for the farmer As part of our dry cow programmes, once we have reviewed all the points to watch mentioned above, we get to heart of the ration. I adapt to the type of forage used on the farm and to whether or not the farmer has a mixer wagon. Does the farmer work with a single group of dry cows, or separate cows at the start of the dry period from those being prepared for calving? Today, the challenge is to make rations that are simple but effective, and that require less working time, in order to compensate for the shortage of labour on farms."

Anthony Simon

VITALAC technical sales representative in Finistère

VITALAC offers a range of products specially dedicated to dry cows. We formulate them specifically to meet the nutritional needs of cows during this physiological phase.

GLYCANION, to provide anionic salts in combination with glucose precursors, in order to lower the DCAD of the ration while limiting energy deficit with a palatable product.
GLYCOLINE, to provide glucose precursors: dry cows need energy to support their immune system.
VITASAFE RTM, to keep rations stable for 2 to 3 days.
VITACARTE BIOCELL TARIE, our mineral feed containing amino acid chelates, organic selenium, binders for mycotoxin prevention, live yeasts and enzymes. A complete product to support immunity and keep dry cows in good health.
TARIPRO 3000 and TARIFORCE, negative-DCAD feeds. They cover the protein, mineral and vitamin requirements of cows at the end of gestation.