Dairy and beef cattle
Dairy cows
Reproduction
Ruminants

VITALAC Technical Days: at the heart of dairy farms

In january, VITALAC once again brought dairy farmers together for its Technical Days. Four days, four farms, and one common theme: longevity, and the impact of the 100 days around calving on the career and performance of dairy cows.

Discover the key lessons and feedback from these Technical Days, shared through discussions between farmers and speakers.

And relive these days on video at the end of the article.

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Every year, the format is the same: farmers open the doors of their farms to welcome their peers. These opportunities for discussion make it possible to share everyday farming practices, technical choices, herd management methods, and strategies implemented to secure key production periods.

These meetings enabled the 220 participants to discover high-performing dairy farms with a wide range of profiles. What they all have in common is the implementation of consistent, sustainable management protocols, developed with VITALAC’s technical support, serving the health, longevity and productivity of dairy cows. Through discussions and on-farm observations, everyone was able to take a step back and reflect on their own practices.

On farm in the morning: consistency above all

The mornings were dedicated to visits to dairy farms supported by VITALAC. Although the systems differed — herd size, work organisation, equipment — one point clearly stood out: the results observed are the outcome of consistent, well-managed herd practices, built up over time.

Performance in dairy farming does not rely on a single lever, but on the alignment of several key factors: dairy cow nutrition, transition management, animal comfort, reproduction and daily herd observation.

There are no miracle recipes here, but farming systems developed gradually, with constant attention to detail. These consistent technical choices contribute to the sustainability of performance and to dairy cow longevity.

On the farms visited, dry-period and transition management appeared to be a central focus. Feed rations are formulated to preserve intake, limit metabolic imbalances and effectively prepare cows for the start of lactation.

Ration changes are made gradually, groups remain stable, and particular attention is paid to access to water and feed in order to secure this key phase of herd management.

Un groupe d'éleveurs visitent la stabulation — Group visit in the barn in the morning, here with Philippe Arzul

Throughout the discussions, animal comfort emerged as a central topic. Participants compared their practices, asked questions and shared their experiences on key points such as bedding quality, building ventilation and light, ease of cow movement, and access to water and feed. These factors may sometimes seem discreet, but they are decisive, with a major impact on dairy cow health, reproduction and consistency of performance.

Practical advice that can be applied on all dairy farms

Philippe Arzul, Amélie Cornillet and Noémie Raut, VITALAC veterinarians and ruminant experts, together with Christophe Conq, VITALAC cattle nutrition specialist, and Émilie Knapp, a Belgian veterinarian specialising in cattle nutrition, shared practical, concrete and accessible advice drawn directly from their field experience in dairy farming.

On the farms visited, results are based on clear, structured management protocols applied daily at every physiological stage of the dairy cow, with VITALAC’s technical support. Nutrition, group organisation, health monitoring, reproduction and animal observation: each stage is precisely defined and monitored over time.

This consistency in herd management makes it possible to anticipate issues, achieve coherent and lasting results, and meet the technical and zootechnical objectives expected in dairy farming.

The afternoon session: putting longevity back at the centre of the discussion

The discussions continued indoors with a technical presentation dedicated to dairy cow longevity, with a particular focus on the first 100 days of lactation, a decisive period for the rest of the animal’s productive career.

The objective was not to provide ready-made solutions, but to better understand the mechanisms linking nutrition, health, reproduction and dairy cow culling, in order to support farmers’ technical decision-making.

Understanding better to decide better.

Several key messages were developed during this presentation:

Dairy cow longevity as a global indicator of the economic and technical sustainability of dairy farms.
The decisive role of the feed transition in preventing metabolic disorders at the start of lactation.
The close links between mineral imbalances, energy deficit and reproductive performance.
The value of reasoning at herd level, based on technical indicators monitored over time.

Réunion et échanges en salle l'après-midi — Indoor afternoon session with our speaker, Émilie Knapp

The discussions highlighted that a high-performing cow is, above all, a cow that is able to last, and that the pursuit of productivity in dairy farming must never come at the expense of animal health.

High-performing dairy farms do not seek to push every parameter to the limit, but to keep healthy cows lasting over time, capable of producing consistently within a sustainable performance approach.

A global approach true to the VITALAC philosophy

These VITALAC Technical Days fully illustrate the support approach promoted by VITALAC: supporting dairy farmers with a global vision of their farm.

Beyond nutritional solutions, the support offered aims to help each farm build consistent herd management, aligned with its farming system, technical objectives and constraints. This approach fully integrates animal health, technical performance and economic profitability.

The priorities remain clearly defined: preserving dairy cow health, securing the key stages of their productive life and guaranteeing the long-term profitability of dairy farms, within a sustainable performance approach.

“Very interesting farm visit, very technical and well-documented afternoon session.”

“This kind of day is a good reminder.”

“Seeing how to correct the factors that limit the increase in my production.”

“Very interesting for my objective of reaching 40 kg of milk.”

“Ideas for improving longevity with simple actions.”

“Understanding the key points to improve my own protocols.”

Feedback from participants at the end of the Technical Days

In total, these VITALAC Technical Days brought together 220 dairy farmers, confirming the strong interest in these technical on-farm events. Several points were particularly appreciated by participants:

The format, combining on-farm observation and technical analysis.
Relevant topics, in line with current dairy farming challenges.
Concrete, practical advice adapted to field realities and easy to apply on farm.
A valuable opportunity for discussion, encouraging experience sharing between professionals in the dairy sector.

VITALAC warmly thanks the farmers who opened the doors of their dairy farms, as well as all participants and speakers for the quality and richness of the discussions.

See you soon for the next edition!