Dry & Transition Period

From deficit to performance: How protein balance, inflammation and methyl donors shape transition cow success

catherine_delorme-tetreault@cargill.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Modern research clearly shows that metabolic dysregulation during the transition period, particularly involving protein supply and inflammatory tone, strongly influences early lactation performance, disease incidence, reproductive outcomes and overall herd profitability.

Prepartum DCAD: How low is too low?

ken.zanzalari@pahc.com — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The decision to feed an acidogenic ration to late-pregnant dairy cows is a very easy one, as there is no better strategy to initiate the mechanisms of calcium metabolism to meet the sudden high demand for this critical mineral surrounding the time of calving.

From dry-off to peak milk: Best practices that set transition cows up for success

matthew.boyle@zoetis.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Looking at optimizing the entire transition period may seem like a daunting task at first, but it gets easier when we break it down into three key time periods: 60 days pre-fresh, 30 days pre-fresh and 30 days post-fresh.

Ontario dry cow housing and management – Not a ‘dry’ topic

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:47:32 -0400

Housing and management of dry cows can impact their future health and milk production. Sometimes this aspect of the dairy herd can get overlooked, as dry cows don’t directly produce revenue and there are always competing priorities to manage on the farm.

Avoid dry-off surprises: Use robotic tools to smooth the end of lactation

john@cow-corner.co — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Like the speedometer, the dry-off list may include cows that are milking more than expected, and it might be necessary to pump the brakes hard to dry them off successfully. Or, like the blind spot, life happens, holidays and time off intervene, and suddenly, there are more cows on the dry-off list than expected. Automated milking systems and milking system software have some options for managing cows going into the dry period.

Tapping into data to improve transition cow health and farm ROI

steven.pavelski@nedap.com — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

From pre-fresh to post-fresh, data from automated monitoring technology empowers dairies to act earlier, manage smarter and achieve stronger returns – one transition cow at a time.

Getting the dollar for your buck: Managing first-lactation heifers from the first test

emolgat@lactanet.ca — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Dairy enterprises invest considerable resources to raise replacements. To capture the opportunities that raising programs offer to farm profitability, dairy operations should not only make efforts to control raising expenses but also to ensure the return of their investment by evaluating the resulting quality of their replacements.

Research Review: From the Journal of Dairy Science: Impacts on productivity – calf disability weights, body condition score

pedro.nogueira@trouwnutrition.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This article, from researchers from the University of Montreal and Lactanet, aimed at quantifying the impact and disability weight (DW) of frequent diseases or syndromes of preweaning dairy calves using the perceptions of producers and veterinarians.

Negative DCAD diet still holds key to health and performance

ruby.wu@churchdwight.com — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

How the transition period influences the longevity of dairy cows

matt_groen@cargill.com — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Managing cows correctly during the transition period is one of the most important factors for overall farm success. During the transition period, nutrient requirements change to support fetal growth, colostrogenesis and the onset of lactation following parturition.

Managing metritis in dairy cows

sleblanc@uoguelph.ca — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Most dairy cows have potentially disease-causing bacteria in their reproductive tract in low abundance. Cows develop uterine infection and disease when the pathogens overgrow and become dominant. Cows need to have a rapid, robust and well-regulated inflammatory response in the uterus during and immediately after calving to detach the placenta, keep bacterial pathogens in check and start uterine repair.

From the Journal of Dairy Science: Fresh cow health impact on reproductive function and teat sealant excretion postpartum

pedro.nogueira@trouwnutrition.com — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This article from researchers from the University of Guelph is a literature review discussing insights and knowledge gaps linking health disorders with different processes related to reproductive function.

Breaking down the year-end review: 3 areas to focus on

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As the year draws to a close, it is the ideal time to take a step back and look at each part of your operation and make a note of areas where progress has been made (and celebrate it!) and identify areas of opportunity.

Shaping success: The role of fat and muscle in transition cows

gouveiak@msu.edu — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

One factor that plays a role in the success of the transition period is the cow’s body composition, more specifically the fat and muscle of the cow. Both fat and muscle tissues are mobilized during the transition period to compensate for the negative nutrient balances and provide precursors for milk and milk components.

The double challenge for dairy cows: Overcoming a hot transition

bmion@lactanet.ca — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The discussion around heat stress and its consequences is not new, and many strategies can minimize these effects. However, our farm dynamics change around the summer and fall months because of the incentive days normally given in the fall.

The role of phytochemicals during the transition period

animalnutrition@adm.com — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Genomic daughter pregnancy rate and the association with resumption of estrous behaviour in Holstein cattle

amadurei@uoguelph.ca — Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Using automated activity monitoring with genomic data might be an opportunity for the dairy industry to improve reproductive performance, optimize herd management practices and increase profitability. This concept has been described as targeted reproductive management.

Optimizing fertility: Health impact of lactating cows under Double Ovsynch protocol

amadurei@uoguelph.ca — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Studies show the decrease in fertility can be strongly associated with transition cow health. Utilizing a Double Ovsynch program could increase fertility even in cows with health events during transition.

What happens in the dry cow group impacts the whole dairy

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Calving is not a disease; it is a stage that needs to be managed and how that is done will impact a cow for her entire lactation. Best practices for transitioning a cow from far-off fresh to her lactation group has a host of areas that need focused attention by the entire management team on the dairy.

Research Review: From the Journal of Dairy Science: Cow-calf contact and drying off high-yielding cows

pedro.nogueira@trouwnutrition.com — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

“Interrelationships between cows, calves and humans in cow-calf contact systems – An interview study among Norwegian dairy farmers.”

How your cow’s health is influenced by its gut

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

There are several on-farm circumstances that can impact gut health, including heat stress, acidosis, weaning, poor bunk management, psychological stress and calving. Supporting gut health around calving is critical to optimize performance and preserve health.

The University of Alberta develops an innovative reproductive probiotic

katie@agproud.com — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 09:23:00 -0400

Our study demonstrates that incorporating probiotics as a preventive measure is an innovative approach to proactively prevent and fight diseases, surpassing the need for antibiotics once symptoms arise.

Uncovering ration opportunities on the flip side

nmichael@pdscows.com — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

I recently got a phone call from a nearby dairyman, “Joe,” inquiring if I would give him a second opinion on his rations.

Managing the transition period for maximum success

eribeiro@uoguelph.ca — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:45:46 -0400

The impacts of management during the transition period can make or break future lactations and overall herd health, putting at risk investments in genetics, farm profitability and welfare.

Shorter dry periods, monitoring BCS is key to transition cow period

katie@agproud.com — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

“We are seeing the top herds being managed with 30-60 day dry periods with 45 days an optimum number. By forcing dry-off, late lactation intake of high-energy diets during low production days is avoided. This practice staves off adding extra weight for the upcoming dry period.” Dr. Ryan Pralle

Consider brown midrib corn silage as an option in transition cows

katie@agproud.com — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:12:51 -0500

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.

Seven tips for a smoother transition period

gabriela.acetoze@adm.com — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 18:21:24 -0400

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.

Benchmarking dry cow body condition scores

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:22:54 -0400

Body condition scoring dairy cattle is an important management tool for dairy farmers to use to promote reproductive goals and to avoid metabolic diseases such as ketosis and fatty liver.

Managing high-straw dry cow diets

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:42:40 -0400

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.

What is your dry cow program costing you?

matt_groen@cargill.com — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:10:43 -0400

When evaluating feed costs on any dairy operation, there are three main areas of focus: the lactating herd, the heifer program and the dry cow period. While many producers have moved to some variation of a low-energy, high-fibre diet with straw or coarse hay and corn silage, within that there are many different nutritional strategies employed to target specific transition challenges on-farm.