Nutritional Management of the Late Pregnant Dry Cow with Particular Reference to Dietary Cation-Anion Difference and Calcium Supplementation

Abstract

All too often the dry pregnant cow is the most neglected creature on the dairy because she is not contributing to current cash flow and profit. It is commonly accepted that the milk yield peak the cow achieves in early lactation, to a large extent, influences her total lactational yield. Proper management of the late pregnant dry cow period should be portrayed to dairy producers as an investment in the future; an investment targeted towards achievement of maximal lactational and reproductive performance in the next lactation. Nutritional management strategies should be implemented during the last 3 to 4 weeks of pregnancy that can help ensure a high return on that investment postpartum. In recent years one such potential strategy, incorporation of the cation-anion difference concept into formulation of diets for cows in late gestation, has been reported and application is occurring in some commercial dairies.