Transition period - Articles - Page 3

Managing shrink losses in marketing efforts

Pre-sale weight loss is often a largely ignored or misunderstood concept of marketing. While some aspects are out of a producer’s control, others can be affected by management practices, negotiation tactics, scheduling, feeding, low-stress handling and preconditioning.

March 17, 2023

Bruce Derksen

“Shrink, the unpaid loss of weight, is essentially an important cost of marketing,” says Chris Bastian, a professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wyoming.

Increasing longevity, shortening calving interval and focusing on milk quality brought these herds to the top in 2022

Each area of Lactanet's Herd Performance Index helps producers measure their growth and areas of need.

March 14, 2023

Katie Coyne and Lora Bender

"Every day, I try to target the small deficiencies and see how I can improve it. In this sense, in 2022, both milk value and longevity were affected by the precision of my transition to an owner, complete investigations with my expert robot nutritionist, and small modifications in our forage harvesting process for an optimal quality." —Isabelle Lasalle

Consider brown midrib corn silage as an option in transition cows

Brown midrib corn silage has the potential to increase DMI throughout the lactation when fed in the transition period.

December 20, 2022

Katie Coyne

Each individual dairy can work with their crop team and their nutritionist to see if brown midrib is an option for their ration and for their crop system.

Methionine and omega-3 fatty acid feeding for transition cows

November 25, 2022

Joseph W. McFadden and Tanya France

The transition period, characterized as the three weeks pre- through three weeks postpartum, is a critical life event for the dairy cow. Around calving, cows involuntarily reduce feed intake; however nutrient demands increase to support fetal growth and milk production.

Seven tips for a smoother transition period

Understanding nutritional requirements, keeping DMI consistent and comparing the latest research with your management will assist with transition cow health.

October 17, 2022

Gabriela Acetoze

Consistent dry matter intake, optimal nutrition through the pre- and post-calving interval, and utilizing the latest research in feed additives can result in added profitability for your herd. A body condition score between 3.0 and 3.5 will assist transition cows through the stress of calving and get them off to a successful start.

Managing high-straw dry cow diets

Maintaining dry matter intake pre-calving by feeding a high-straw diet with proper straw chop length, as well as adding water and molasses, will help keep transition cows healthy through post-calving.

October 13, 2022

Trevor DeVries

The transition period from the dry period to lactation is a vulnerable time for the dairy cow because she experiences several physiological, metabolic, and behavioural challenges.

Microbiome 101: More than just the rumen

A healthy reproductive microbiome in the vaginal tract is key to leading transition cows to fewer health challenges, enabling faster rebreeding and improved performance.

September 27, 2022

Edward Robb

A healthy reproductive microbiome in the vaginal tract is key to leading transition cows to fewer health challenges, enabling faster rebreeding and improved performance.

Look beyond the basics to prep cows for early lactation

Proper ration management and better cow comfort lead to less stress, which means fewer incidents and less immune system triggers.

September 27, 2022

Bill Prokop

Proper ration management and better cow comfort lead to less stress, which means fewer incidents and less immune system triggers.

Tips and tricks for feeding transition cows in robots

A strong transition cow feeding and management plan plays a huge role in the success of a cow’s lactation.

September 27, 2022

Travis Palen

Starting transition cows strong in a robotic milking system goes a long way toward maximizing milk production. Use these feeding strategies to get your fresh cows started right.