Feeding Dry Dairy Cows Lower Energy Diets

Heather Dann, Ph.D.

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

What are our challenges?

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

How much TMR are the cows eating?

Does the dairy know? Does the dairy measure it?

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

3/4”

5/16”

5/32”

Pan

20%

20%

20%

40%

Straw Particle Size to Minimize Sorting

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

Monitor Body Weight Change to Identify Problems before They Happen

How Should We Transition Cows From a Higher Forage, Lower Energy Dry Diet to a

Lactating Diet?

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

www.whminer.orgdann@whminer.com