“Environment, nutrition and management practices for far-off, close-up and fresh cows on Canadian dairy farms – A retrospective descriptive study.”
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 105 No. 2, 2022. This article, from researchers from the University of Guelph and Elanco Animal Health, aimed at describing management practices of Canadian dairy farms by using a pre-existing risk assessment tool and outline potential management opportunities. Upon veterinarians’ or producers’ request, a transition management risk assessment (The Vital 90, Elanco) was performed by trained observers during farm visits (74 Holsteins and four Jersey farms). Most farms were in Ontario (n = 64), whereas the remaining were in Alberta (n = 5), British Columbia (n = 4), Manitoba (n = 1), Prince Edward Island (n = 2), Newfoundland (n = 1) and Saskatchewan (n = 1). Freestall (54%) and straw-bedded loose pack (81%) where the most common housed systems observed on the far-off and close-up periods, respectively.
The authors summarized the main goals of the transition period management, indicating they are to maximize nutrient intake and energy availability, control mineral balances and optimize immunity. They also refer that best management practices, defined by research and organizational guidelines, are not always the practices observed on-farm. A key aspect is that the improvement of transition management and motivation for change are driven by benchmarking and the ability to detect bottlenecks, which are not possible without good record-keeping and continuous analysis of herd health and performance.
The article explained that the risk assessment tool was developed by a group of dairy experts and was created to provide an objective management evaluation. It includes 79 questions about nutrition, pen management and cow comfort of the far-off dry, close-up and fresh cows. The observers fill each survey in real time while assessing each period on-farm. (The tool was developed for iPad.) The observer asked the producer, veterinarian and feed adviser to discuss the different topics identified, but the final report includes only the three priority topics.
Although the authors acknowledged the results of the study could be somewhat biased, since the farms that participated could be either poorly (often the tool initiated by the veterinarian) or exceptionally managed (often initiated by the producer), the results of this study indicate that there is opportunity to improve management throughout the dry and fresh periods.
Among the three periods studied, the far-off group parameters showed the most room for improvement. The main problems highlighted in this study (in all periods) included stocking density (overcrowding in the far-off and close-up periods), poor water access and availability, and lack of heat abatement strategies in the dry and fresh periods. It was also identified that cows were able to sort their rations in 60% of the dry period pens and 31% of the fresh pens. Also, in 73% of the farms, fresh cow health monitoring protocols were not in place. The authors concluded saying that this work brings awareness to some areas of opportunity in transition cow management practices, which can help dairy veterinarians, consultants and producers assess transition management of dairy farms and define transition management bottlenecks.
“Management-related factors in dry cows and their associations with colostrum quantity and quality on a large commercial dairy farm.” Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 105 No. 2, 2022. The objective of this study, done by researchers of the Freie University of Berlin, was to evaluate the association of management-related factors in dry cows and colostrum quantity and quality in Holstein cows on a large commercial dairy farm (2,500 Holstein cows, average of 11,500 kilograms of milk per cow), during a period of three years. Dairy personnel recorded colostrum quantity (n = 7,567) and evaluated colostrum quality in a subsample of animals (n = 2,600) using a digital Brix refractometer.
The authors explained that the production of colostrum occurs during the last weeks of gestation. Prepartum maternal nutrition and nutritional management can affect colostrum production. Prepartum dairy cows have an increased need for energy and protein in response to synthesis of mammary tissue and colostrum, as well as requirements for uterine and fetal development. Apart from the ration composition, nutritional management, such as length of exposure to prepartum diets, might affect colostrum production. Several studies reported IgG concentration in colostrum to be similar for cows with short dry periods compared with cows with conventional dry periods. Cows with no dry periods, however, had reduced colostrum quality compared with conventional dry periods. This indicates that the colostrogenesis period is not sufficient for gamma globulin accumulation in these cows.
On this study, average colostrum quantity was 4 kilograms, 5.1 kilograms and 5.5 kilograms for cows in first, second and third or more lactation, respectively. In first-lactation heifers, colostrum quantity was affected by month of calving, sex of the calf and stillbirth. Age at first calving and calving ease tended to affect colostrum quantity. Gestation length and days in close-up pen were not associated with colostrum quantity. Colostrum quantity in primiparous cows was greatest in April (4.1 kilograms) and lowest in November (3.2 kilograms). Sex of the calf was associated with colostrum quantity (female singleton = 3.5 plus or minus 0.26 kilogram; male singleton = 3.76 plus or minus 0.27 kilogram; twins = 2.97 plus or minus 0.66 kilogram). Stillbirth was associated with reduced colostrum quantity in primiparous cows. A positive association tended to occur between age at first calving and colostrum quantity (around 0.07 kilogram more for each month increase in age at first calving).
In multiparous cows, colostrum quantity was affected by month of calving, calving ease, sex of the calf, stillbirth, milk yield in previous lactation and days spent in the far-off group and days in close-up pen, although this played a minor role. Gestation length was not associated with colostrum quantity. Colostrum quantity in multiparous cows was greatest in May (5.5 kilograms) and lowest in October (3.8 kilograms). There was a linear increase in colostrum quantity with calving difficulty (calving ease 0 = 4.23 plus or minus 0.26 kilogram; score 1 = 4.77 plus or minus 0.21 kilogram; score 2 = 4.98 plus or minus 0.22 kilogram; score 3 = 5.30 plus or minus 0.22 kilogram). Sex of the calf was associated with colostrum quantity (female singleton = 4.42 plus or minus 0.21 kilogram; male singleton = 5 plus or minus 0.21 kilogram; twins = 5.03 plus or minus 0.30 kilogram). Stillbirth was associated with reduced colostrum quantity in multiparous cows.
A positive association occurred between milk yield in previous lactation and colostrum quantity. An increase in milk yield in previous lactation by 1,000 kilograms was associated with an increase in colostrum quantity by 0.1 kilogram. Longer exposures to the far-off group (around 0.05 kilogram for every day) and to the prepartum diet (around 0.06 kilogram for every day) were associated with a linear increase in colostrum quantity.
The authors concluded by saying that variation in colostrum production across the year might have the potential to affect calf morbidity and mortality through inadequate colostrum supply. Banking high-quality colostrum might be one option to address fluctuations.
