43 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | November/December 2023 Livestock Management at dry-off can play a large role in the health and success of dairy cows through the dry period and into their next lactation. “The dry period is the break between lactations and when we let the cows rest,” says Dr. Niki Alsop, a large animal veterinarian at Heartland Vets. “The goal is not only for calf growth, but really it’s for the mammary gland to involute and repair.” Allowing the mammary gland to recover while avoiding infection, minimizing stress and maintaining proper nutrition sets the basis for a successful lactation. Moving cows from the lactating herd to the dry cow group requires careful management. “If we don’t look after dry cows well, they won’t milk well and we won’t keep them,” says Alsop. Marlene Paibomesai, a dairy specialist at OMAFRA, adds that mastitis is one of the biggest concerns following the dry period. “Ineffective drying off can lead to leakage from teats, which can allow bacteria into the udder and then you have mastitis risk in early lactation,” says Paibomesai. “It (mastitis) increase somatic cell count and impact milk quality. It is one of the biggest considerations people think about when looking at dry cow protocols.” Traditionally, blanket dry cow treatment with antibiotics and teat sealants have been used to mitigate the risk of mastitis. “We’ve typically had blanket therapy, but we are realizing that not all cows are at risk of mastitis, so we can afford to be more selective,” says Paibomesai. How is the traditional strategy for drying off cows changing, and how do other management factors impact cow health during the dry period? Traditional approaches In traditional approaches to dry cow treatment, all cows are treated as though they have the same risk of mastitis. In this approach, on the final day of a lactation after the cow is milked, the cow would be treated with an antibiotic administered through an intramammary tube in each quarter, followed by a teat sealant to prevent leakage. STRATEGIES FOR DRYING OFF DAIRY COWS Management can help producers move away from blanket treatment. By Emily Croft Work with your vet to help develop protocols for dry cow treatments. Artem Zakharov - stock.adobe.com
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