DHIA
Question: What are some
nutritional considerations
during transitional cow care?
Should we use anionic salts?
The biggest challenge dur
ing the prcfresh or transitional
period is dry matter intake
(DMI). We know that DMI is
suppressed by anionic salts
simply because the cows do not
like them. We should avoid
feeding these salts whenever
possible. Some care in our
feeding programs can avoid the
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We spend all of our time and
energy making the best feed for
the milking animals and little
to no time planning the feed
needs of the dry cows. Some
land should be set aside for the
sole purpose of growing forage
for our dry cows. Obviously,
this is not practical for most
farms in the northeast when it
comes to feeds such as com sil
age. The number of dry cows
simply is not large enough to
warrant special facilities for
the storage of such feed. Hay,
on the other hand, is a different
story. It is easy to set aside a
small field or two to grow hay
that is more suitable for our dry
cows. By watching soil nutri
ent levels and restricting the
use of manure on this land, we
can produce low-potassium
forages that can eliminate the
need for anionic salts in the
transition diet Another alter
native would be to purchase the
forage needs of the transition
group from farms that have no
animal units on them. Hay
from these farms typically is
lower in potassium due to cost
of applying this nutrient and
lack of potassium from animal
waste.
There are many farms in the
noitheast that can do little to
reduce potassium levels of the
forage that is fed. It is common
to see alfalfa testing between 3
and 4 percent potassium. Even
grasses, which are commonly
used for dry cow diets, ap
proach 3 percent due to heavy
manure usage on farms. When
we couple this with com silage
potassium levels at 1.5 to 2 per
cent, we can experience some
real problems. High dietaiy po
tassium increases blood pH
and if severe, can reduce the
cow’s ability to mobilize cal
cium. This triggers milk fever,
either clinical or sub-clinical,
and leads to increased nutri
tional stress. This stress contri
butes to retained placentas, ke
tosis, displacements, and
sometimes mastitis.
How can we tell if we need
to use anionic salts? Milk fever
is certainly a clue that we may
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farmers have followed the advice of agri-industry, agri-business,
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need to use the salts. We need
to make sure of the dietary bal
ance for these prefresh cows
because even the correct type
of forage can cause problems
when not balanced properly. A
useful tool when we are not
sure about the need for anionic
salts is the urine pH. Dry Hol
stein cows and especially those
in the last three weeks before
calving should have urine pH
readings between 6.0 and 6.5.
Jerseys should be 5.8 to 6.2.
Levels below these may not be
a problem but we need to be
certain that we are not reducing
intakes due to too much anion
ic salts.
Everyone seems to have a
different answer about the
mineral balance for transition
cows. Remember these are
only guidelines and should be
used just as a starting point.
Calcium
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium...
Sulfur
Chloride
As a final note, I must say
that I see a wide range of qual
ity when it comes to feeding
our dry cows. We may be able
to get away with something
less than optimal for forages on
long-term dry cows. When it
comes to prefresh cows there is
no room in the diet for less than
the best we have to offer. We
We got efficient.
Got bigger.
Used the beet technology.
Got lean and mean.
We tried everything - or did we?
niMcicuam
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 8, 2000-A29
l%-1.2%
0.4%-0.45%
...0.4%
0.1%
...0.7%-1.5%
... 0.3%-0.4%
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30 x44(3 left) 50 x 100 (2 left)
40 x 62 (4 left) 55 x 150 (2 left)
call tor other sizes
have to realize that during this
time our cows are already re
ducing intakes. Therefore, we
must do everything possible to
maintain a high DMI if we ex
pect these cows to produce at
an optimum level. I encourage
dairymen to make the transi
tional period a planned part of
the milking herd.
Average Farm Feed
Costs For Handy
Reference
To help farmers across the state
to have handy reference of com
modity input costs in their feeding
operations for DHIA record sheets
or to develop livestock feed cost
data, here’s last week’s average
costs of various ingredients as
compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania.
Remember, these are averages,
so you will need to adjust your fig
ures up or down according to your
location and the quality of your
crop.
Com, No2y 2.34 bu., 4.19
cwL
Wheat, No. 2 2.35 bu., 3.92
cwt
Barley, No. 3 1.59 bu., 3.41
cwt
Oats, No. 2 1.49 bu., 4.63
cwt
Soybeans, No. 1 4.32 bu.,
7.21 cwt
Ear Com 72.92 ton, 3.65 cwt.
Alfalfa Hay - 134.25 ton, 6.71
cwt
Mixed Hay 13125 ton, 6.56
cwt
Timothy Hay 129.25 ton,
6.46 cwt
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