The calving of autumn-calving cows will soon be starting on farms that are producing winter milk, which means cows are now entering the transition period.
A transition cow can be identified as a cow at three weeks pre-calving and at three weeks post-calving. Dairy cows face many physiological challenges during this time.
Transition cow management
Problems with cows during the transition period usually arise due to poor management during this period.
Examples of issues that can arise during the transition period include: udder oedema; milk fever; retained placenta; displaced abomasum (stomach); laminitis; metritis; ketosis; and fatty liver syndrome – all of which result in lost profits.
Poor management during this period can also lead to an increase in calf mortality due to difficult calvings and weak calves.
Animals at risk of metabolic disorders during the transition period are animals that are above or below the ideal body condition score (BCS).
The ideal BCS condition score for an autumn-calving cow is 3.0; above this the cow has too much condition and below this figure, not enough condition.
The allocation of feed based on BCS during the dry period may help to reduce the risk caused by not being in the ideal BCS.
Minerals
Keeping dietary calcium levels low pre-calving and supplementing cows with minerals pre-calving can reduce the risk of production diseases.
The risk of milk fever is reduced if dietary calcium levels can be maintained below 0.5% of dry matter (DM) before calving.
Preventing the occurrence of production-related diseases is better than dealing with the issues once they have occurred.
Cows with milk fever are eight times more likely to develop mastitis early in lactation. A negative energy balance in late-pregnancy is more likely to develop a displaced abomasum (DA) in lactation.
Successful transition
The management of cows during this period is vital to ensure that cows have a successful transition from late-pregnancy to early-lactation.
At risk animals should be identified and monitored closely. Treating a cow can be time consuming and expensive, during a period when time is precious.
It is unlikely that you will not have a cow with milk fever or a hard calving, but mitigating the risks will reduce the number that may occur.