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A major player in advocating short dry periods is Intervet who’s
dry cow tube, Cephaguard DC has just received a new licence withdrawal
period for milk of 35 days. This tube appears to be a good tube
and has helped to reduce mastitis and SCC in a couple of problem
herds.
It appears that shortened dry periods reduce the loss of appetite
at calving so reducing related problems such as displaced stomachs,
infertility, milk fevers etc.
Instead of feeding two diets throughout the dry period only one
diet is fed in a shortened period and so in theory simplifying feeding.
Looks great but the data up to now comes mostly from the USA. We’re
not aware of large UK studies. The diet has the most important influence
on disease at this time but we have not had any information on the
recommended dry cow diet.
The concept of shortened dry periods should not be used as an excuse
for poor management that means that cows are given short dry periods
because they’ve been forgotten!
In addition, we are all more aware of the public’s perception
of farming. What will be their response to hearing that “the
rest period” of dairy cows is being reduced so that the farmer
could squeeze out some more milk. If we had enough convincing evidence
that the net result is a healthier and longer living animal we could
defend this new idea but at the moment this evidence appears lacking.
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