A46-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 11,2003
AccuWeath
Sunday
v
Partly sunny and cold
with a flurry or two
possible
High 28, Low 6
UV 2
Thr 7-Day R IT
.ne local -Uay Forecast is tor Lancaster County The ultraviolet index is a guide to exposure to the
7-9, high, 10 or above, very high
The Week Ahead
Temperatures
'recipitation
Last Week’s Precipitation 30-Day Temperature Outlook
Lancaster
January 02
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January 08
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Franklin County Dairy Day Focuses On Dry Cow Program
DAVELEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
KAUFFMAN (Franklin Co.)
Balanced dry cow nutrition is an
important part of making sure the
animals get a good milking start.
But feed is only part of the pic
ture a smaller part than is often
believed, according to Gabriella
Varga of Penn’s State’s dairy and
animal science department. She
spoke on the topic of dry cow man
agement at the annual Franklin
County Dairy Day at Kauffman
Jan. 3.
“We are quick to blame nutri
tion (for early-lactation prob
lems),” she said. “But there are
many other things involved.”
According to Varga, proper
transition feeding amounts to
about 25 percent of the challenge
of getting cows off to a healthy,
Franklin County dairymen, from left, Dale Martin, Har
old Crider, and Jay Grove share their experiences as
members of family-operated farms. The discussion was
initiated by Richard Stup of Penn State’s Dairy Alliance.
He spoke about the need for fapiily farm members to
practice good communication skills.
. A
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Monday
•* x
1 »
Cold with sun and
some clouds
High 30, Low 16
UV 2
0 08”
0.33”
0.00”
0.19”
a to"
trace
0.00”
productive lacatation. Overall
management, such as cow comfort,
can play an even bigger role
about 50 percent, with the animals’
genetic makeup rounding out the
equation at about 25 percent.
Ketosis, displaced abomasum,
retained placenta, milk fever, and
metritis are some of the problems
that a good transition program
helps to prevent. These ailments
can have a big impact on veteri
nary bills and the milk check.
“When a cow gets sick, she eats
about 5 pounds less feed per and
makes about 20 pounds less milk
per day,” Varga said.
Varga divided transition cow
management into four phases:
prior to dryoff, far-off dry period,
close-up dry period, and post-fresh
period.
Dairy managers should begin
monitoring cows for body condi-
recast for
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy, cold with
a chance of snow
High 28, Low 16
UV 1
Almanac
For the week ending Wednesday, Jan 8
Temperature
High 35
Low 27
Normal high for week ahead 37
Normal low foi week ahead 21
Above Normal
Precipitation
Total last week
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date .
Growing Degree Days
Month to date
Season to date
Farming Forecast
| Arctic air in place over the
mßb weekend wilt retreat early this
week. Mainly dry Sunday and
” most of Monday An upper-level
system could bring snow or flurries to
the area late Monday night into Tuesday
High pressure brings dry weather on
Wednesday Another cold front will bring
the chance for some snow, or a mix on
Thursday Behind this system, another
shot of very cold air will press south
Near Normal
Below Normal
Above Normal
Near Normal
Below Normal
tion in the six-week period prior to
drying off, Vargas said. Health
risks to over-fat cows have been
known for many decades, she
pointed out. Cows that grow too fat
as they drop off in production and
enter the dry period can be at a
greater risk for metabolic problems
after calving. During the dry peri
od, producers may benefit by feed-
ing fat cows separately from those
with lower body condition scores.
Providing plenty of space is cru
cial for good dry cow management,
Varga said. She noted that many
producers tend to focus on milking
facilities at the expense of the dry
cows.
“Build your dry cow stallbarn
first,” she said. “You got to make
these girls comfortable. You do not
want to overcrowd them.”
Is it necessary to provide a “far
off’ dry cow ration, and then
switch to another, more nutritious
“close-up” ration in the month be
fore calving? Or is it best to keep
the dry cows in one group?
“There are advantages and dis
advantages for both,” Varga said.
It always depends on the availabil
ty of factors such as labor, facili
ties, and forage.
Among the advantages of split
ting dry cows into two groups is
that the far-off group can be fed
cheaper rations that require less
time to feed such as free-choice
hay in round bales. Also, if better
quality forage is in limited supply,
it should be saved for the close-up
group.
On the other hand, having just the cow’s digestive system to pro- nesses,
one dry cow group eliminates split- duction after calving. However, More reports from the Frankin
ting up and moving cows and can boosting protein and energy levels County Dairy Day are scheduled
simplify the work of feeding. And, should be done with caution. t < for the Feb. 15 issue of Lancaster
yvhen dry cpiws are all'fed a rpl- just 1(3 percent ’farming’?Dairy Plus, ■
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Lancaster a
Wednesday
•or V
'
Becoming mostly
sunny, blustery and
cold
High 26, Low 10
UV 2
iun The higher the UV Index number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection 0-2, minimal, 3-4, low, 5-6, moderate,
Above Normal
Near Normal
Below Normal
d Surroundi
Thursday
********
Mostly cloudy with a
chance of snow
High 36, Low 26
UV 1
Regional Forecast
Shown is Sunday's
weather Temperatures
are highs and lows for
the day
0.70”
1 41”
1.00"
1 41”
061”
1.00”
0
3554
30-Day Precipitation Outlook
Gabriella Varga, Penn
State dairy and animal sci
ence department, suggests
that overall management
and cow comfort are even
bigger factors than nutri
tion in a good dry cow pro
gram.
atively good ration throughout the
period, managers can be more as
sured that the cows will adapt to
milking rations after calving.
If the cows are kept in one
group, however, they may need to
be monitored more closely to make
sure “bully cows” are not crowding
out less aggressive animals.
Varga said that producers may
want to consider increasing protein
and energy amounts above current
ly recommended levels for close-up
rations. This could help meet the
needs of the fetus and acclimate
Areas
Friday
Clouds and sun,
chance for a flurry,
cold
High 28, Low 14
UV 2
Syracuse
«• 21/11.
crude protein? Protein is a gross
measure the type is important,’’
she said. Feeding too much unus-
able protein will just result in it
passing through the animal, or can
even cause ammonia toxicity.
Dry cows tend to decrease their
dry matter intake as they approach
calving. Adding more energy to the
close-up ration helps boost dry
matter intake and increases insulin
production, which assists fatty acid
metabolism, Varga said. While
many studies have shown this, they
have been inconclusive about how
adding more energy to close-up ra
tions affects production.
“The bottom line,” she said, “is
the majority of these studies didn’t
see any response in milk produc
tion.”
Varga added that the studies
have not yet supplied enough in
formation on factors such as the
possible affect on metabolic disor
ders. Research is still in progress.
Above all, Vargas said, dairy
managers need to provide dry cows
with good, balanced rations and
make sure the cows are comfort
able.
“You can feed a whole gamut of
dry cow rations and the animals
will do fine,” she said.
Also speaking at the Dairy Day
were Ken Bailey, Penn State dairy
economist, and Richard Stup of
Penn State’s Dairy Alliance.
Bailey outlined the futures mar
ket and the principles of forward
contracting. Stup led a discussion
on the importance of good commu
nication within dairy family busi-
AccuWeather.coi
im
Saturd
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Mostly sunny and very
cold
High 22, Low 8
UV 2
Cantjii’'
J
Above Normal
Near Normal
- Below Normal
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