If we apply the standards of evidence-based medicine to prepartum dairy cows, all close-up cows would be fed a negative DCAD diet. More than 30 years of research, and on-farm application, have repeatedly proven negative DCAD diets work.

Today’s dairy cows are genetically superior to your father’s cows. Intensive selection for milk yield and stature has produced bigger, more productive cows. When you combine this with improved nutrition and cow management, it’s easy to see why dairy feed efficiency in North America has doubled in the past 100 years.

Cows crave consistency. Milking time, udder prep, feed delivery, animal care and handling, reproduction and the nutrients delivered in the ration should be the same day in and day out.

The goal for every cow on every dairy is to have healthy, productive cows that transition well into lactation. About 30 years ago, researchers discovered a way to help cows achieve this goal.

Dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) for close-up dry cows doesn’t have to be hard. For many dairy producers looking to try DCAD for the first time, implementing a brand new nutritional practice on-farm can often seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be. With partial DCAD, producers new to DCAD can take an easier approach to starting the journey safely.