Managing inflammation isn’t the sole solution for transition cow health, but it unifies how environmental, nutritional and management factors influence the cow’s success or failure during transition.

Urine pH testing is an easy way to take advantage of a proven technology to make sure the cows are consuming the diet specifically formulated to meet their requirements. In addition, urine pH testing can be used to help dial in the diet. 

Even though millions of cows and hundreds of research trials have demonstrated the positive benefits of feeding a negative DCAD diet, there are always those who look for new and better ways to accomplish the goal of reducing incidence of clinical and subclinical milk fever. While those interventions do exist, it is hard to beat the proven efficacy of feeding a negative DCAD diet. 

Managing and achieving a successful fresh-cow transition is a critical component of a profitable and sustainable dairy business. Despite significant achievements through research and improved management strategies, there are still numerous on-farm and individual cow risk factors that come into play, resulting in a fine line between achieving a successful transition and one that always seems to be a work in progress.

If we consider how plants can help our heifers and cows conquer that daunting transition period, there may be more than simply forages, in terms of plants, to consider. Let us dig into the world of phytochemicals.

Jerseys have their own requirements and different nutritional challenges that we must consider when formulating rations.

Producers are encouraged to work with their management team to identify risk factors that may lead to this mid-lactation down cow syndrome.