Effects of Two Different Feeding Strategies During Dry-off on Certain Health Aspects of Dairy Cows

Abstract

With increasing milk production and short calving intervals, high daily milk yields at dry-off are rather common, making the dry-off procedure difficult and increasing the risk for health problems during the dry-off period. The objective of the following study was to compare the effects of 2 dry-off protocols, using different nutrient supplies, on health, as measured by clinical findings, intramammary infections, milk somatic cell count, and plasma concentrations of cortisol, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, and Mg, in dairy cows. Twenty-one primi- and multiparous dairy cows were randomly assigned to 2 different feeding treatments. One group was fed ad libitum straw (straw), whereas the other group was fed 4 kg of DM silage daily and ad libitum straw (silage) during dry-off (i.e., for 5 d). All cows were milked in the morning of d 3 and 5 during this period. At the start of dry-off (d 0), the average daily milk yield was 17.1 +/- 0.8 kg. The plasma cortisol concentration increased during dry-off only in cows fed straw. There was no significant effect of treatment on plasma serum amyloid A, but the concentration increased during dry-off in both groups. The plasma Mg concentration decreased during dry-off, and the values tended to be lower in the straw group. The milk somatic cell count increased in both groups during dry-off but did not differ between groups. In both groups the heart rate decreased at dry-off, but the decrease was more pronounced in the straw group. Overall, this study (together with a previous report) shows that the common dry-off procedure of feeding straw only may give rise to metabolic disturbances. However, this might be avoided without any apparent negative effects on udder health if a limited amount of silage is added during dry-off.

Acute phase proteins in ruminants

“…Diets with different energy contents given to newly received feedlot calves did not alter the circulating concentrations of Hp, SAA or fibrinogen [205]. There was no effect on SAA in plasma of dairy cows between groups fed straw or fed silage and straw during the drying off period [206]. Haptoglobin and fibrinogen concentration did not differ in veal calves fed corn moderately contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins demonstrating that the calves were tolerant to the levels of the toxin in the diet [207].…”

Invited review: Cessation of lactation: Effects on animal welfare

“…Reduced energy intake can be achieved by formulating a TMR with less energy dense feedstuffs (e.g., reduced concentrate levels), increased levels of less palatable forage, or by feeding only forage. The difficulty is achieving the end goal (reduced milk production) without compromising the animal metabolically (Odensten et al, 2007) and without inducing hunger (Valizaheh et al, 2008). Hunger is a negative affective state experienced by an animal that is not able to reach satiety (D'Eath et al, 2009).…”

Plane of nutrition by tick-burden interaction in cattle: Effect on growth and metabolism1

“…Increased cortisol concentrations have been associated with malnutrition (Douyon and Schteingart, 2002). Dairy cows fed straw had greater cortisol concentrations than those fed straw and silage (Odensten et al, 2007). Willis et al (1995), using Ambystoma maculatum, and Riley et al (1995), using A. americanum, reported no effect of ticks on cortisol in cattle.…”