This is our second of a two part series all about “drying off” lactating dairy cows. Part One of this two-part series (Episode 30) covered off the basics of why the cow and her udder need a dry period to rest and recuperate in preparation for a new lactation. What a “good” dry off process might look like was discussed, as well as the impact of once-a-day milking before dry off for cows that are still producing a lot of milk in late lactation.

In this, Part Two of the two-part series about drying off dairy cows, we explore the role for nutrition before, through and after the dry off process. We’ll cover different ways to reduce the intake of energy and other nutrients for cows during dry off, with the aim to make the process as successful as we can - for both the cow but also for you and your business.

Below hopefully will help you find the content if you’ve not got time to listen in to the whole podcast. Enjoy!

3.00 Introduction and overview of this podcast

4.50 Combining nutritional  manipulation and milking frequency for high producing cows at dry off

5.35 Nutritional strategies to help dry cows off – things to consider

7.35 Making decisions around drying off – how much milk are your cows producing?

10.20 Nutritional concepts to help drop milk production before dry off

13.10 Concentrate (grains, meals) feeding before dry off

16.00 Total amount of feed on offer and/or reducing nutrient density of feeds through dry off

21.35 Unintended consequences during dry off; condition loss and immunosuppression

29.50 Importance of adequate trace mineral status through dry off

31.15 Reducing dietary protein intake as a potential option to help with dry off

42.40 Planning ahead for nutritional approaches to dry off – starting the year before

49.20 Conserved feeds for dry off

54.30 Specific points around use of high rates of maize silage for drying off

56.10 Provision of ample, top quality tasty drinking water for cows through dry off – an essential part of the dry off process