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May 30, 2023

How to have a successful dairy transition

A tailored dry-cow ration that delivers easy calving, controls milk fever and makes high-quality colostrum is the best start to a successful transition period. Further measures include monitoring body

A tailored dry-cow ration that delivers easy calving, controls milk fever and makes high-quality colostrum is the best start to a successful transition period.

Further measures include monitoring body condition score and using tracking technology via collars or ear tags.

This advice is from Andy Adler of Molecare Farm Vets, following a recent survey of transition practice on 312 dairy farms.

See also: How farmers and advisers are failing transition cows

The survey confirmed his thoughts about the incidence of fresh cow disease and how farmers are managing the transition period to prevent problems.

The survey revealed that 62% of respondents reported more than 2% of milk fever cases in the past 12 months, yet this disease is easily preventable, says Andy.

“Farmers don’t have to have milk fever. Diet principally affects it, and group changes – prepare for health rather than expect disease,” he says.

Andy also discovered that while nearly 66% of farmers said metabolic disease was a barometer of transition success, few were correctly recording body condition score to monitor energy balance.

Andy Adler © Molecare Farm Vets

“Although 85% of farmers said that they condition score, when asked when they did it, we had a range from weekly to six-monthly. Only 24% said that they scored cows at the critical time of drying off,” he says.

He agrees that scoring as well as recording the results is extra work in today’s larger herds, but recommends that farms take advantage of third-party services to carry this out.

“The job will then happen – and results are also objective,” he adds.

He thinks herds would benefit from using automated tracking systems – whether collars or ear tags – that not only detect oestrus, but also monitor rumination and flag up health issues, to assist good stockmanship.

On the back of the survey results, Andy has developed a five-point plan covering the main areas to help set the cow up for her next lactation.

© Tim Scrivener

For herds with fewer than 100 cows, monitor annually for good-quality data; larger herds have sufficient numbers to do this more regularly.

One of the most effective ways to determine transition success is to assess colostrum quality: the quantity of antibodies is affected by protein in the diet; the quality of antibodies is affected by the cow’s immune system.

Colostrum quality can be measured using a Brix refractometer and should score above 22.

If colostrum is failing to meet this target, review transition management with your vet and nutritionist.

As well as dry cow diets, look at feed intakes, lying times, group changes and housing facilities.

Source: Andy Adler, Molecare Farm Vets

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