Cow nutrition in the run-up to calving is an absolute priority for dairy farmer — Jim Corby. With this in focus, Jim has encountered very low levels of milk fever, retained placentas, and calf mortality.
Jim milks 120 pedigree British Friesian cows, along with his wife Elaine, at Ballynagrana in County Tipperary. Fully registered with the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) the Ballynagrana herd has been a well recognised source of elite Friesian bloodlines for many years.
“The herd was established 60 years ago. The foundation of the business is the production of high-quality milk”, says Jim. “All the females within the herd are put to a Friesian bull. As a result, there is a strong demand for the surplus breeding stock that we have to sell. These include calved heifers, bulling heifers and young bulls.”
“The herd is exclusively spring calving. Our aim is to produce as much milk as possible from grazed grass. The farm extends to 180 acres. This includes a 110-acre grazing block, which lies adjacent to the yard and milking parlour. The land across the farm is quite heavy. It can produce large quantities of grass. However, grazing it effectively can be difficult enough during a wet year.”
A Proactive Approach to Cow Nutrition
Last year, the Ballynagrana averaged 6,200kg of milk at 3.5% protein and 4.0% fat. The milk is supplied to Tipperary Co-op. “Herd performance levels were well back last year on what we would usually expect,” Jim explained. “Normally, cow performance would average 6,800kg of milk. But 2023 was a very challenging year, both in terms of managing the grazing block and for the cows themselves.”
“Over the period of a complete lactation the cows receive one tonne of concentrates. In a dry year, the cows do not receive a summer ration.” The Ballynagrana herd was dried-off as a complete group at the end of November 2023. “Normally we would milk some of the cows through until December. But given the wet weather and the low milk price, the decision was taken to dry all the cows off that little bit earlier at the end of the last grazing season.
Preparation for the dry cow period kick-offs during the spring and early summer months of the year. “I make a baled, dry cow silage that contains little or no potash. It is also quite high in fibre. This is then fed to all the cows and pregnant heifers in the run-up to calving. High potash forages can lead to metabolic issues, directly post calving, particularly the likes of milk fevers.”
Cow nutrition is king. “The cows are managed to ensure that they calve down in good condition and are ready to start milking again as quickly as possible. Ensuring that calves are born with plenty of vitality is also important. They also need access to good quality colostrum. All of these issues are directly linked to the management of the cows during the dry period.”
Jim also recognises that it is important to have cows at the right body condition score in the run-up to calving. “I am very happy with the level of cover on the animals at the present time,” he said. “Drying the herd off that little bit earlier than usual last year has allowed me to build up that little bit of extra condition in those cows that needed it.”
Cow Nutrition Supported By Feed Lick
Jim also recognises the need to provide his cows with a high-quality source of pre-calving minerals. “I have been using the Crystalyx Pre-Calver feed lick for the past 30 years. And it’s an approach that has always worked well for me. Prior to this, I had used a bagged dry cow mineral. However, particularly when silages were dry, I found that the powder dropped though the forage, ending up in the waste that was brushed up the following day.”
Jim makes the 80kg Crystalyx Pre-Calver feed lick tubs available to his dry cows throughout the entire transition period. “By taking this approach, it means that the cows have constant access to the lick,” he explained. “And this is vitally important. One 80kg bucket will provide 40 cows with enough supplementation for a week. And once a fresh tub is in place, that’s the job done. The tubs are heavy enough that they will not be moved around by the cows in the shed. And, for the most part, they remain very clean.
Jim concluded: “Over the past 30 years, I have had very low levels of milk fever to contend with, certainly less than 1% across the herd. Calves have also been born with tremendous vigour. Calf mortality rates have been exceptionally low. Retained placentas are rarely an issue and subsequent cow fertility has been excellent.”
Cow Nutrition And Milk Production Efficiency
Effective dry cow management is at the very heart of efficient milk production. A cow should be fit – not fat – and ideally hold a condition score in the range of 2.5-3.0, in order to give her the best chance of a stress-free calving. Avoiding issues such as milk fever and slow calving can make all the difference to future fertility and lactation performance.
Quality supplementation at this time is key, which is why the research and development team at Crystalyx have spent years formulating feed licks that specifically provide for the transition cow. Offering Crystalyx to late-pregnant dairy cows is not about improving daily liveweight gain, but preparing the cows to calve down easily and provide for a healthy transition into lactation.
Three studies undertaken in New Zealand, by the University of Auckland, with group sizes averaging approximately 200 cows, confirmed that access to ‘Crystalyx Pre-Calver’ maintained normal blood magnesium and calcium levels right up to calving. Significantly, this led to a reduced incidence and severity of any milk fever at calving whilst mitigating incidence of mastitis in early lactation.
Comparable results were recorded by Parma University. Research scientists there further reported that the colostrum IgG yield of the Crystalyx-fed cows was double that of the control animals. In addition, all Crystalyx-fed cows transitioned faster and easier into lactation. These very same results have been repeated on a large number of Irish dairy farms.
When And Why Use Crystalyx
David Morgan, Crystalyx Regional Manager for Ireland, was a recent visitor to the Corby farm. “Crystalyx Pre-Calver can be fed in late pregnancy. It helps to ensures cows maintain better appetite up to calving, have a strong immune system at calving while also ensuring optimum calf health and vigour. Forage type is also critically important in the context of a dry cow management programme. Silages high in potash should be avoided at all costs. There is one critical period of a cow’s life when low potassium diets are especially important: in the three to four weeks leading up to calving.”
“During this period, large amounts of calcium are transferred from the cow’s blood to the mammary gland to be utilised as part of the colostrum the calf will need. If a cow is on a diet high in potassium, directly pre-calving, this can increase her blood pH level. When this happens, the internal mechanism that optimises calcium absorption and mobilization doesn’t work effectively. This can leave the cow susceptible to milk fever, or hypocalcaemia directly post calving.”
“Straw can be easily included in pre-calving diets. The availability of Crystalyx blocks will ensure that cows receive the correct balance of minerals, trace elements and vitamins they need to facilitate a successful calving.”
To optimise your cow nutrition, find your local Crystalyx stockist
