The Dry Period Ration for Dairy Cows
By Saleh Kamal Al-Saleh, dairy farm and cheese factory owner, founder of Lebnara · Last updated:
Next season's milk is decided in the dry period. A dry cow is not milked, but she is building a fast-growing calf, renewing udder tissue and preparing her rumen for the lactation ration. Mistakes in these sixty days show up after calving: milk fever, retained placenta, ketosis and a smaller lactation.
Length of the dry period and its two phases
A cow is dried off about 60 days before her expected calving date. Shortening the period below 40 days lowers next season's yield, and stretching it beyond 70 days increases the risk of the cow becoming too fat.
The period is divided into two phases, each with a different ration:
| Phase | Timing | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Far-off dry period | From dry-off until 21 days before calving | Maintain body condition without fattening |
| Close-up | The last 21 days | Prepare the rumen and prevent milk fever |
The far-off ration
The goal is for the cow to hold her condition, with a body condition score (BCS) between 3.25 and 3.5. The common mistake here is overfeeding, not underfeeding.
- Dry matter: about 1.8 to 2% of body weight, that is 12 to 13 kg for a 650 kg cow.
- Crude protein: 12 to 13% of dry matter.
- Relatively low energy, with most of the ration coming from fibre.
- Limited concentrate: only 1 to 2 kg per day.
The close-up ration (last 21 days)
In the last three weeks the cow's appetite falls because the calf presses on the rumen. So the energy and protein density of every kilo she eats is raised.
- Crude protein: 13 to 15% of dry matter.
- Concentrate is raised gradually to 3 or 4 kg per day, from the same feed as the lactating cows, so the rumen microbes get used to it before calving.
- Calcium and potassium are limited, because high levels before calving are the main cause of milk fever. So alfalfa is reduced in this phase.
- Anionic salts are used on well-managed farms to lower the dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD), and their effect is followed by measuring urine pH. Do not use them without a nutritionist's supervision.
- Vitamin E and selenium reduce retained placenta and strengthen udder immunity.
A sample daily ration for a 650 kg cow
Figures are as-fed weights and are an indicative example, to be adjusted to your feeds and their analysis.
| Ingredient | Far-off | Close-up |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat straw | 5 kg | 3 – 4 kg |
| Oat hay or grass hay | 4 kg | 3 kg |
| Corn silage | 8 – 10 kg | 12 kg |
| Dairy concentrate | 1.5 – 2 kg | 3 – 4 kg |
| Dry cow mineral mix | 100 g | 100 – 150 g |
| Alfalfa | Little | Avoid or reduce greatly |
Mistakes that cost you next season
- Feeding the dry cow like a milking cow: fatness before calving leads to fatty liver, ketosis and difficult calving.
- Too much alfalfa before calving: high calcium and potassium disable the mobilisation of calcium from bone, and milk fever appears.
- Changing the ration suddenly after calving: the rumen needs 3 weeks to adapt to more concentrate.
- Neglecting clean water: a dry cow drinks 40 to 60 litres a day.
Track the dry period in Lebnara
Record each cow's dry-off date in the farm module, and the software reminds you when to move to the close-up ration 21 days before, and of the expected calving date.
Frequently asked questions
- When should I dry off a cow?
- 60 days before her expected calving. Work out the date from the insemination date with the cow calving date calculator.
- Do I stop concentrate completely in the dry period?
- No. It is given in small amounts at first, then raised gradually in the last 3 weeks to prepare the rumen.
- How do I know a dry cow is too fat?
- If her body condition score exceeds 3.75 and the hip and spine bones are clearly covered with fat.
Calculate your cattle feed ration now
Enter the cow's weight, her yield and your ingredient prices to find the cheapest balanced ration.