feeding dry dairy cows lower energy diets
TRANSCRIPT
Nutrition and Management During the Dry and Fresh Periods Dictate the Success or Failure of the Lactation
Transition Success• The cow is…
– Healthy– Produces a large quantity of
milk with good components– Able to reproduce at the
appropriate time
• The dairy is…– Profitable and sustainable
Too Many Health Problems…
ProblemMedian Incidence Risk
(%)Range of Incidence
Risk (%)Estimated Cost
($/case)
Lameness 7 2–30 302–400
Clinical mastitis 14 2–55 185–205
Subclinical mastitis 30 15–60 –
Metritis 10 2–37 359
Subclinical metritis 53 37–74 –
Retained fetal membranes 9 1–39 285
Ketosis 5 1–18 145
Subclinical ketosis 43 26–55 67
Hypocalcemia 7 0–22 335
Subclinical hypocalcemia 22 8–54 125
Adapted from Van Saun & Sniffen, 2014
Dry and Fresh Cow Nutrition Continues to Evolve
• Use integrated strategies to support…– Energy metabolism
– Protein metabolism
– Mineral metabolism
– Immune function
– Rumen function
The Best Formulated Diets Cannot Overcome
Suboptimal Management Practices
Implement management practices that allow access to good quality feed while minimizing social and
environmental stressors and promoting cow comfort
Far-off DryClose-
up DryFresh
Early Lactation
Far-off DryClose-up
Dry1 Group or High
Lactation
1 Group Dry (often shorter
dry period)Fresh
Early Lactation
1 Group Dry (often
shorter dry period)
1 Group or High Lactation
-8 -3 0 +2???Week of Lactation
Intake is Critical for Success
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Far-off Close-up Fresh High
lb/d
Controlled by Physical and Chemostatic MechanismsInfluenced by Feeding Management, Social Interactions, and Environment
Too Little or Too Much Intake is a ProblemFresh Period Health Problems in 1500 – 1600 lb Holsteins
• ~26 to 28 lb DM/d
• Poor starts and peak milk
• Action– Test feed quality/digestibility
– Evaluate bunk management, feed availability
– Assess non-nutritional stressors
• >33 lb DM/d
• Before calving– BW/BCS gain
• After calving– Sluggish intake
– Excessive BW/BCS loss
• Action– Limit grain-type forages, other
palatable feeds to control intake
– Complement with a consistent, low K, bulky forage source
CarbohydratesA Focus Area Since Carbohydrates Contribute the Majority of Energy
• Steam-up vs higher forage dry diets to control energy intake– 0.56 to 0.66 Mcal NEL/lb DM
• (1.25 to 1.45 Mcal NEL/kg DM)
– 100 to 110% ME
• Prolonged overconsumption of energy during the dry period can result in poorer transitions
Overfed Cows Have…
• Abdominal fat deposition• Insulin resistance• Blood NEFA and BHBA• Liver triglyceride• Body weight/condition
loss after calving• Chronic inflammation• Health problems
• DM intake• Energy intake• Milk• Reproductive
performance• Profitability
Higher Forage, Lower Energy Dry DietAKA Controlled Energy Diet, Goldilocks Diet, #@! Straw Diet
Drackley, 2013
Feeding to meet cows’ requirements
Not too much, not too little…but just right
Promote consistent intake throughout the dry period…to promote high intake after calving
Higher Forage, Lower Energy DietsControlling Energy Intake while Meeting Other Nutrient Needs
• Must be a transition period strategy…not a close-up or pre-fresh strategy only
1 or 2 dry groups
Higher Forage, Lower Energy DietsControlling Energy Intake while Meeting Other Nutrient Needs
• Often based on corn silage and straw– Feeding characteristics– 100 to 110% of ME– 12-18% starch; >40% NDF (gut fill)– 1,000 to 1,300 g MP
• Fine tune based on…– Fermentable carbohydrates– Cow response (intake, health, performance)
Drackley, 2006; Drackley et al., 2007
Feed Higher Forage (Straw/Hay), Lower Energy Diets as a TMR
• Feed as a TMR, no free-choice forage– High level of feeding
management
• Free-choice low-energy forage with limit-fed balanced partial mix is a poor second choice
StrawA “Low Quality” Forage
• Need to consider other quality indicators– Palatability, amount of contaminants, presence of molds
• Need a consistent source
Common Way Cows Consume Too Much Energy on a Properly Formulated Diet
Hay & Straw Not Incorporated Well, Particle Size Too Long
Photos Courtesy of T. R. Overton
Sorting• Evaluate TMR at feed out and throughout day
along with refusals– Visual– Penn State Particle Separator - < 10-15%– Chemical composition (NDF, CP) - < 10%
• Evaluate cows for change and variation– Body condition– Body weight
Drackley et al., 2007
BCS doesn’t tell the whole storyExcessive dietary energy leads to greater visceral
fat deposition in thin cows than in fat cows…
Nikkhah et al., 2008
Fresh Cow Diet Frequently Based on the High Cow Diet
• Some common adjustments…– Less starch & more fiber– More physically effective fiber (peNDF)
• Usually less than 2.2 lb of chopped straw/hay
– Additional rumen undegradable protein/AA– Additional rumen inert fat– Strategic addition of other nutrients and additives
• Promote rumen function and a rapid rise in intake– Minimize SARA and chronic inflammation
Take Home Messages• Higher forage, lower energy diets fed during the
dry period can help cows achieve transition success– Diet is only part of it… need to minimize stressors
• Meet all nutrient requirements while not greatly exceeding requirement for energy
• Diet is often based on corn silage and straw
How Can Higher Forage, Lower Energy Diets Improve Transition Success?
• Stabilize DMI and prevent large drops in DMI before calving
• Prevent “fat cow”-type responses to excessive energy consumption (insulin resistance, fatty liver, ketosis…)
• Decrease K intakes and prevent low blood Ca
• Increase DMI after calving along with improved rumen fill and function– Decrease risk of DA, acidosis
Attention to Feeding Management is Critical for Transition Success
• Measure DMI• Test feeds (forages)• Feed the diets as a TMR starting at dry-off• Process the straw or hay• Monitor sorting• Use a fresh cow diet…especially with 1-group
dry diet