It might feel like autumn calving is still a way off, but for farms running an autumn block calving system, July is the right time to start thinking about dry cow nutrition. The decisions you make now – and over the coming weeks – will shape how well your cows transition through calving and into the start of lactation.
While it’s tempting to focus on the summer grazing season and put transition cow planning off for another day, the foundations of a successful dry and transition period are often laid well before the cow is dried off.
Body condition score is a prime example. Cows should ideally enter the dry period at a score of 2.75 to 3.0 – and if adjustments are needed, they need doing before drying off. We do not want cows to be changing body condition during the dry period.
Get Your Minerals Right Before Calving Season
A well-balanced dry cow mineral programme is important to support cow health around calving. Calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus all play a role in preventing metabolic conditions such as milk fever – and the right programme starts with knowing what your forages are already supplying.
If you haven’t had your forage tested recently, summer is a great time to do it, giving you the information you need to build an accurate dry cow diet ahead of the season.
Think About Rumen Function Too
The transition from the dry period into early lactation places enormous demands on the rumen. Cows move from a relatively low-energy dry cow diet to a high-energy fresh cow ration almost overnight, and if the rumen isn’t prepared, the risk of digestive upsets, displaced abomasums, and poor feed intakes in early lactation increases significantly.
Building a close-up dry cow ration – typically introduced two to three weeks before calving – that gradually bridges this gap is an important part of transition management. Ingredients that support rumen liver function can make a real difference to how cows hit the ground running after calving.
Don’t Overlook Colostrum Quality
The dry period has a direct influence on the quality of colostrum a cow produces at calving – and colostrum quality has a direct influence on calf health. Immunoglobulin levels, the antibodies that give newborn calves their early protection, are closely linked to the cow’s nutritional status in the weeks before calving.
Cows that are well-nourished, correctly mineralised, and not under excessive metabolic stress at calving consistently produce richer, more effective colostrum. In an autumn block calving system, where large numbers of calves arrive in a short window, this can have a significant impact on calf health and the workload of the team managing them.
Summer Grazing – An Asset and a Variable
For many autumn calving herds, cows will spend much of the dry period at grass. Summer and early autumn grazing can be an excellent source of energy and protein, but it also introduces variability. Grass quality and quantity can change significantly with the weather, and dry cows at pasture may not always be consuming what you think they are.
Keeping a close eye on grazing conditions, supplementing appropriately when grass is limiting, and ensuring mineral provision are all key factors to through this period. It’s also worth remembering that lush fast growing grass can be low in magnesium, which has implications for the risk of grass staggers as well as transition cow health.
Plan Now, Calve with Confidence
Autumn might feel like it’s on the horizon, but in dairy farming, it has a habit of arriving quickly. Getting your dry cow nutrition plan in place during July means fewer last-minute decisions, healthier transitions, and cows that are ready to perform from day one.
Talk to your local DN specialist to get ahead of the season or give us a call on 01200 420200.
