Transition Cow Toolkit September 2016

Transition Cow Toolkit Your essential guide to transition cow management

September 2016

A Dairy Farmer publication in association with:

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CONTENTS Dairy Farmer’s Transition Toolkit has been designed to provide farmers with a best practice guide to ensure cows transition from one lactation to the next as smoothly as possible.

This transition period is defined as the 60 days pre-calving and 30 days post-calving.

THE CLOSE TO CALVING PERIOD

SETTING THE SCENE Focusing on ensuring all cows transition smoothly from one lactation to the next will pay dividends when it comes to maximising your herd’s genetic potential – we explain why.

THE MAIN DISEASES LINKED TO TRANSITION We run through some of the key diseases linked to transition management, why they develop and how to prevent them.

BENEFITS OF IMPROVING TRANSITION MANAGEMENT - A FARMER VIEW

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HOW TO SET COWS UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

Cheshire farmer Ed Seaton explains his transition cow management which is geared around reducing stress and boosting intakes.

Use this checklist on your farm to check you are doing everything right for the fresh cow, one-10 days post-calving.

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HOW TO ENSURE GOOD FERTILITY

Correct body condition is vital in maintaining dry matter intakes and preventing disease. We give some tips on how to manage cow condition.

BEST PRACTICE DRYING OFF STRATEGY A run through of how to dry cows off and the practicalities of doing selective dry cow therapy.

CONSIDERATIONS IN THE FAR-OFF PERIOD The far-off period should be a stress free maintenance stage. We run through what you should consider in terms of nutrition and mastitis prevention.

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HOW TO MANAGE THE CLOSE TO CALVING COW – A FARMER VIEW

FRESH COW MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST

Yorkshire farmer Neil Ashton has witnessed improved yields and less disease since making changes to transition cow buildings.

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The 20 days before calving is the most risky and crucial stage in a cow’s cycle. We run through different diet options, feeds to avoid and key considerations for a stress free pre-calving period.

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An overview of which cows to present to the vet and what fertility parameters to keep track of to monitor your fertility success.

TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR SYSTEM

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Cut out and use this guide to troubleshoot your transition cow system.

TRANSITION COW CHECKLIST

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A summary of the main take-home messages on transition cow management.

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Introduction Focusing on ensuring all cows transition smoothly from one lactation to the next will pay dividends when it comes to maximising your herd’s genetic potential.

Transition forms foundation

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f you are looking for one area on-farm where you can make positive steps to improve production efficiencies, reduce costs and unnecessary labour inputs, then the transition period is it.

Data from the 2016 Kingshay Health Report shows farmers with the best transition cow management – determined by the lowest level of disease linked to the transition period – are £16,037 better off a year than the average farmer (see table, page 5).

The dry period/transition period is the crucial time when a cow moves from one lactation to the next. During this time, milk production ceases and the cow goes into a period of recovery to prepare for calving and the onset of a new lactation. Physical and metabolic changes at this time all combine to make it a high risk period for the health and well-being of the cow.

How animals are managed will ultimately define whether they calve in healthy, hit milk production targets and get

All of this puts the cow’s back in-calf – all of which imimmune system under strain, pact on farm profitability (see increasing her vulnerability to graphic, below). disease.”

Traditionally, the transition Any group or management period has been defined as the change creates stress for the three weeks before and three cow which can predispose her weeks after calving. However, to disease. Around calving, a growing body of experts she then naturally believe there is a enters a period of need to think negative energy differently balance where about her energy how this requirements at risk for milk, periexceed enod is ergy intakes defined (see page 6). and At the same instead FRANCIS COSGRAVE time, her appethink of ‘the tite decreases and vital 90 days’ – dry matter intakes drop (see two months before and graph 2, page 5), while her one month after calving. It is this period which will be talked natural immunity declines.

This cocktail of factors about in this toolkit. combine to increase the risk of Independent dairy veterinary her developing costly diseases consultant Francis Cosgrave (see table, page 5) such as keexplains why: “In this vital 90 tosis, displaced abomasums, days, the cow experiences mastitis or retained foetal many changes. These may be membranes (see page 6). in diet, daily routines, environHowever, Mr Cosgrave says ment, as well as internal hordisease is far from inevitable monal and metabolic changes.

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In this vital 90 days, the cow experiences many changes. These may be in diet, daily routines, environment

and can be reduced by careful transition period management.

“The majority of vets spend their time on cows 30-50 days calved, trying to fix problems like metritis and fertility issues – they are a reflection of what happened at calving and way back into the dry period. And you can go back even further to the previous lactation and body condition score in that lactation,” he adds.

Various management practices can help avoid such costly disease. This includes maximising feed intakes by providing plenty of feed space, ensuring cows are in optimum body condition, careful rationing and reducing stress by minimising group changes and maximising cow comfort.

“Whatever the system you run, the ultimate aim of the transition period is to minimise the natural negative energy balance and immune suppression which occurs around calving to produce a healthy cow, with good appetite,” says Mr Cosgrave.

Different stages of the cycle and the vital 90 days

Key areas for attention at each stage: 1 Manage BCS and maintain good health 2 Calcium management, liver function, colostrum quality 3 Energy supply, dry matter intake 4 Energy supply, milk production, fertility.

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What you need to know Graph 1: Dry period length and effect on performance

Source: Van Knegsel et al, 2012

Why is a dry period important? pRecovery period which helps set cow up for lactation - helps boost subsequent yields, reduce fat mobilisation and somatic cell counts (see graph, right) pMammary regeneration pKey to curing existing mastitis infections and preventing new infections

What happens if you get management wrong? pHigher levels of disease around calving and into lactation (see pages 6-8) pCows suffering from subclinical ketosis are 2.7 times more likely to get a displaced abomasum and 1.8 times more likely to have had milk fever (Elanco) pLower subsequent production pBacterial mastitis infections picked up in the dry period reduce subsequent milk yields

in infected quarters, reduce milk quality and increase the risk of subsequent clinical mastitis (In Practice, Green et al, 2002) pFat cows of over body

condition score 3 are more prone to negative energy balance, greater weight loss/fat mobilisation and subsequent health problems pCows which lose more than

Graph 2: Effects on NEB

Source: Owen Atkinson, 2016

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Transition disease trends and costs Cases per 100 cows

Group average

Top 25%

Source: Kingshay, 2016; 100 herds of 100-600 cows Est. cost Group Top 25% Difference per case cost cost

Mastitis

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£288

Lameness Milk fever Displaced abomasums Difficult calvings Retained cleansings Abortions Metritis Totals

49 5.2 3.1 5.3 6.1 3.6 8.4

23 2.2 0.9 2.7 4.3 3.6 4.9

£172 £191 £232 £347 £332 £401 £180

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What are the benefits of getting transition management right? pIncreased milk yield pImproved fertility pEnhanced milk quality pImproved cow health pImproved calf health pReduced disease risk

Key management challenges around calving Cows go into negative energy balance (NEB); energy requirements for milk production exceed energy intakes Dry matter intakes drop 30-40% (Owen Atkinson, In Practice, 2016) Immunity drops by up to 40% (Elanco)

one condition score in the five weeks after calving will take significantly longer to reach first ovulation, first service and first conception (Butler and Smith, 1989)

£15,264

£6,912

£8,352

£8,428 £3,956 £4,472 £993 £420 £573 £719 £209 £510 £1,839 £937 £902 £2,025 £1,428 £598 £1,444 £1,444 £0 £1,512 £882 £630 £32,224 £16,187 £16,037

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Main diseases Diseases which develop in the first 30-50 days post-calving are hugely costly and are a direct reflection of your transition cow management. Here’s a run through of some of them, why they develop and how to prevent them.

Diseases linked to transition

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ost of the diseases which develop in the transition period are caused by extreme negative energy balance (NEB), immuno supression and milk fever (see panels).

Although both processes are inevitable to some degree, good management should limit their severity and prevent subsequent disease. Preventing issues is a must as many diseases are ‘gateway diseases’ which can lead to the development of other issues at a time when you need the cow to be performing at her best.

JCause: Negative energy balance (NEB) – see panel.

JPrevention: Increase dry matter intakes, ensure cows are in correct body condition score (BCS). Use cow side ketone tests as a herd monitoring tool on a sample of cows, two to 21 days in-milk.

The milk test uses a milk dipstick which indicates ketosis with a colour change. This gives an idea of management success. A Kexxtone bolus containing monensin can also be given to at risk cows (see page 12).

JTreatment: Drench cows with propylene glycol. For clinical cases seek veterinary advice.

Key transition diseases KETOSIS JCost: £203 per case JDefinition: Excessive mobilisation of body fat reserves, leading to higher than acceptable ketone levels in the blood.

JSymptoms: Clinical ketosis is less common than subclinical ketosis which is likely to be an issue in 30% of cows in UK herds. Cows with clinical ketosis will go off their feed, have reduced yields or a sweet smelling breath. Blood or milk ketone tests will test positive. The only way to pick up subclinical cases is through ketone testing.

MILK FEVER (HYPOCALCEMIA) JCost: £191 per case JDefinition: The cow is unable to meet increased calcium demands around calving and blood calcium levels plummet (see panel, page 8).

JSymptoms: Cows show signs of imbalance/staggering around calving and then often go down, with their head resting back on their side. Can lead to death if untreated.

JCause: Anything which causes a cow to go off their feed, over conditioned cows with reduced appetite, twin-bearing cows, older cows, NEB. JPrevention: Calcium

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Milk fever should be treated with a calcium injection.

bolusing at risk cows, ensuring cows are the correct BCS, providing enough magnesium in the diet, DCAB diets (see page 20).

JTreatment: Calcium injection (IV or subcutaneous), combined with calcium bolus.

RETAINED FOETAL MEMBRANE (RFM) JCost: £332 per case

JDefinition: A placenta which has not been naturally expelled 24 hours after calving.

JSymptoms: Obvious signs of placenta hanging out the back of the cow.

JCause: Milk fever, difficult calving, twins excessive BCS loss (all interlinked with negative energy balance and immune suppression).

JPrevention: Preventing milk

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fever, negative energy balance and immune suppression JTreatment: Speak to your vet.

METRITIS (WHITES) JCost: £180 per case JDefinition: A vaginal or uterine infection leading to an abnormal discharge. There are different scoring systems and it can be broken down into either endometritis and metritis.

To keep things simple, they will be grouped under metritis for this purpose (speak to your vet for more details).

JSymptoms: Abnormal vaginal discharge occurs around one week post-calving. Cows may have a raised temperature.

JCause: Immune suppression (see panel) meaning a cow is unable to fight off natural bacterial challenge at calving or milk fever. A cow with a RFM is also more likely to develop metritis, probably due to more contamination risk from handling.

JPrevention: Limiting immune suppression, good hygiene around calving, preventing milk fever.

JTreatment: Early parenteral antibiotics are the main component of metritis treatment.

Toxic metritis (where the cow is sick) will need antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and fluids.

Speak to your vet.

DISPLACED ABOMASUMS (DAS) JCost: £232 per case JDefinition: The abomasum shifts out of its correct position, either to the left (LDA) or right (RDA) of the rumen which usually holds the abomasum in place. Generally occurs seven to 14 days post-calving

Negative energy balance - what you need to know NEGATIVE energy balance (NEB) naturally occurs when a cow’s energy requirements for milk exceeds energy intake and she has to mobilise body fat to meet demands.

Under normal conditions, the cow can cope with a degree of NEB. Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are released as a result of fat mobilisation. These NEFAs enter the liver and are manufactured into glucose as part of a process called gluconeogenesis.

Glucose then goes onto the mammary glands to provide lactose for milk.

However, if too much fat (NEFAs) floods the gloconeogenesis pathway: pNEFAs may be metabolised incorrectly –

as the birth of the calf leaves a gap, allowing the abomasum to move. DAS are often an indication of NEB/ketosis (see panel).

JSymptoms: Depressed milk yields and appetites.

Diagnosed by a vet by listening to the gut – identified by a ‘ping and slosh’ sound.

JCause: Anything which reduces appetite leading to poor rumen fill which enables abomasum to move, NEB/ketosis, twins.

JPrevention: Maintaining dry matter intakes by minimising stress and correct rationing, minimising gateway disease like milk fever and NEB (see graphic, page 8).

ketone bodies are produced leading to ketosis, or pNEFAs are reesterified back into triglycerides and stored in the liver as fat – leading to fatty liver.

Fatty liver and ketosis generally go hand-inhand.

Vicious cycle Ketone bodies and NEFAs are appetite suppressants, so a cow in extreme negative energy balance will have reduced feed intakes, leading her to mobilise even more fat and produce more NEFAs and ketones. A cow which enters this cycle can very quickly go off the rails.

Impact pReduced fertility/slower to get back in-calf. pFailure to hit peak milk

At risk cows 1 Over conditioned cows of BCS 3 or above – these cows will be more prone to reduced feed intakes around calving, extreme fat mobilisation and weight loss (fat cow/ thin cow syndrome – see page 12).

2 Cows with twins – dams will have a greater demand for energy and less capacity in the rumen.

3 Older cows of three or more lactations – generally these are the cows which produce more milk and have a greater energy gap as a result.

4 Cows with a history of energy related disease from their last lactation.

Mastitis is graded one to three depending on how the udder feels.

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yields and generally produce lower milk yields over the lactation.

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Main diseases JTreatment: Veterinary surgery to move and secure the abomasum back in its correct position.

CLINICAL MASTITIS (WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CALVING) JCost: £288 per case JDefinition: Inflammation of the mammary gland and surrounding tissue, usually a result of an immune response, usually to bacteria which has entered via the teat canal. A lot of clinical mastitis cases which develop in the first 30 days of calving are caused by infection in the dry period.

JSymptoms: Clinical mastitis is graded one to three depending on how the udder feels.

There will be changes in the milk, and the cow may or may not be systemically unwell.

JCause: Most clinical mastitis which originates in the dry period is caused by environmental pathogens such as Strep uberis and E.coli. There can be numerous causes, including poor hygiene/environmental

management, lack of pasture rotation and ineffective drying off policies.

JPrevention: Manage the environment to limit infection risk, whether at grass or housing.

This could include fly control, improving housing ventilation and bedding management.

JTreatment: A robust drying off policy using internal teat sealants and antibiotics where appropriate is also instrumental in prevention of infection during the dry period.

A DIFFICULT CALVING JCost: £347 per case JDefinition: Oversized calf, heifers not at correct weight for calving, over conditioned cows, other diseases like ketosis or milk fever.

JSymptoms: Select easy calving bulls, monitor heifer growths and ensure on target.

JTreatment: Farmer intervention or vet intervention if very challenging. n Disease costs sources: Ketosis - Elanco/Toulouse University, others - Kingshay.

Immunosuppression – the hows and whys AROUND calving, the level of neutrophils – the white blood cells which are the first line of defence against infection – are reduced by up to 40%. This leaves the cow more vulnerable to common transition diseases such as mastitis, metritis and retained placentas, says independent dairy veterinary consultant Francis Cosgrave.

Why does it happen?

1 Levels of the ‘stress hormone’, cortisol are elevated at calving.

Additional stressors in the environment can increase cortisol levels even more.

This has a negative effect on the movement of white blood cells to fight bacteria.

2 Ketones and nonesterified fatty acids.

Elevated ketones – which

are commonly associated with NEB – have been found to have a negative impact on the activity and migration of white blood cells.

3 Calcium is a critical component of immune cell activation and in migration of white blood cells to the site of infection.

How to prevent it pLimit group changes in the dry period. It takes at least two days for a cow to establish a new position in the social hierarchy – this creates stress and reduced intakes pEnsure good access to food and water pMaximise cow comfort pCorrect mineral status pA vet can prescribe a new immune restorative injection which is licensed for mastitis. This is likely to have a knock-on effect on other diseases

Milk fever (hypocalcemia) explained What’s going on at cow level?

When a cow calves, her calcium requirements

Milk fever is a gateway disease

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increase by 2.5 to three times. The drain on blood calcium must be met by the mobilisation of body Source: ForFarmers

calcium stores. Hormonal systems need to be ‘switched on’ to maintain calcium homeostasis and prevent milk fever, says ForFarmers’ Nick Berni.

Calcium release is controlled by Parathyroid hormone (PTH) which is released when blood calcium is low: pPTH encourages mobilisation of calcium from the bones, increases kidney reabsorption and

activates Vitamin D pVitamin D increases calcium reabsorption from the intestines Factors affecting the calcium pathway: pLow magnesium inhibits PTH pHigh phosphorous inhibits PTH and Vitamin D When calcium requirements cannot be met, the cow will develop milk fever.

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It’s Here…

A new way to protect her potential and your future

Helps restore her natural immunity During the time around calving, dairy cows suffer an immunity dip. This leaves them vulnerable to key transition diseases (such as mastitis) and you facing stress, frustration and disruption of your day-to-day farm management.

When cows suffer a dip in immunity around calving, Imrestor™ assists the natural immune system by restoring the function and increasing the number of neutrophils.

To help prevent immune suppression and protect the potential of your herd, contact your Vet. Use medicines responsibly. www.noah.co.uk/responsible. Always seek advice on the correct use of this or alternative medicines from the medicine prescriber.

In the UK Imrestor POM-V contains pegbovigrastim. For side effects, precautions, warnings and contra indications refer to product packaging and leaflets. For further information, see Summary of Product Characteristics. For further information, contact Elanco Animal Health, Priestley Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9NL Tel: (01256 353131) Imrestor, Elanco and the diagonal bar are trademarks owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates. ©2016 Elanco Animal Health UKDRYIRS00032c Apr 16

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The benefits CASE STUDY Making changes to close to the calving pen to boost dry matter intakes and limit negative energy balance has resulted in many benefits for one Yorkshire producer.

Transition changes pay dividends

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etting a fresh pair of eyes on-farm to undertake an appraisal of transition cow management has paid dividends for the Ashton family, of Bracken Hill Farm, Lower Bentham.

The 230-cow herd is run in partnership by James Ashton and son Neil. Cows yield 8,500 litres per cow per year, are dry for 60 days and are managed inside in a far-off and close to calving groups.

Following advice from vet Ian Illingworth, of Dalehead Vets, in January this year the Ashtons decided to undertake Elanco’s Healthy Start Checklist (HSCL) as a means of highlighting priority areas for improvement in transition.

At the time, fresh cows were not performing as well as expected and some cows were

losing more body condition than ideal around calving.

Neil Ashton says: “They were doing alright and then yields were dipping. They were never giving quite as much as you expected.”

Blood and milk testing also showed a level of sub-clinical ketosis, adds Mr Illingworth.

“It all pointed to energy status and intakes at and around calving,” he says.

Appraisal As a result, the vet practice’s dedicated farm nurse was brought in to undertake the HSCL. This involved doing a complete transition period appraisal looking at various areas such as space, stocking rates and water access.

Information was then collated, vet notes added and areas for improvement highlighted in a traffic light system.

Transition disease changes at Bracken Hill Farm since undertaking Elanco’s Healthy Start Checklist

12 months prior to HSCL

LDAs Calving assistance Mastitis in first 100 days Cows calving at >BCS 3.5

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Six-month period after HSCL

4 None 25-30% 15%

10-15% 10%

17%

8%

James Ashton and son Neil run a 230-cow herd at Bracken Hill Farm.

Three areas in the close to calving, loose straw pen were highlighted red, denoting the need for immediate attention.

These were: Feed space Although the feed face was the longer side of the close to calving pen, its position meant it was impossible to access with a tractor so feed needed to be wheelbarrowed there and forked up by hand. This meant intakes were not as good as they could have been.

As a result, the feed fence has been moved to the other side of the pen, this means feed can be put out using the mixer wagon and pushed up by the tractor.

Water space in the close to calving group A small water trough had initially been positioned in the middle of the straw yard. This has now been moved to the edge of the pen and replaced with a larger trough.

Improving the dryness of the straw beds The straw bed initially extend-

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ed to the feed fence leading to dunging in this area. The original position of the water trough also added to issues.

This has been addressed by knocking out a concrete wall, extending the pen size and adding in a scrapable passage with slats in front of the feed fence, separated from the beds by sleepers.

Mr Ashton says most of the changes have been fairly easy to implement at a cost of about £1,500. However, he has quickly seen improvements in yield.

He adds: “I think yields have improved - I’d estimate we’ve seen a 15-20% increase in yields in the first 60 days.”

Disease incidence is also steadily improving, which Mr Illingworth attributes to better dry matter intakes before and after calving. Ongoing improvements in herd fertility will also prevent cows from getting over conditioned and more prone to transition problems.

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Give your cows a head start.

Reduce negative energy balance focus on liver health

Boost cow health focus on immunity

Improve calf performance focus on colostrum quality

Increase Dry Matter Intake focus on rumen development Control milk fever focus on calcium balance

The transition phase is the most important period in the production cycle of the cow.

Research shows that over 80% of health and performance problems occur due to poor management and nutrition during this period.

By focusing on key areas of transition cow nutrition significant performance improvements and cost savings can be made. This could realise over ÂŁ11,000 or 1.5ppl per 100 cows.

ForFarmers TRANSLAC nutrition programme and products are designed to improve performance by giving the cow and calf the best possible start.

08457 22 88 53

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info.uk@forfarmers.eu

www.forfarmers.co.uk

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Setting cows up The mission to ensure a successful transition period starts way back in the previous lactation and stems around good body condition management and consistency.

Setting cows up for success

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any of the disease challenges associated with transition could be avoided by planning ahead during lactation to ensure cows are in the optimum condition at drying off and throughout transition.

Fat cows are often the ones which create the management headaches around calving and beyond. These over conditioned cows tend to have lower dry matter intakes around calving, leading to greater condition loss, extreme negative energy balance (NEB) (see, page 6) and more disease. These animals are also more prone to having a difficult calving.

All of these factors combine

Body condition scoring through lactation enables over or under conditioned cows to be identified.

to have a knock-on effect on milk production and fertility.

Cows which take longer to get in-calf are also more likely to have longer lactations and

put on condition, leading to a never ending cycle of problems. Equally, thin cows will struggle with NEB and subsequent disease and fertility,

however fat cows are more of an issue in UK herds.

To avoid problems, Jeremy Dain, of Cogent UK, believes regular body condition scoring

How to body condition score JCogent UK’s Jeremy Dain runs through key targets surrounding condition scoring.

When p100 days before calving pAt drying off pAt calving p50 days in-milk p100 days in-milk In an all-year-round calving herd, this will involve daily scoring, so it may be easier to do it

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once-a-month or oncea-fortnight in groups such as dry cows, fresh cows, highs, mids and low yielders.

How pUse the AHDB Dairy BCS system which scores from one to five in increments of 0.25.

Download your own fact sheet and recording pad at www.dairy.ahdb.org. uk pIdeally have one or two

dedicated staff which do the scoring to ensure consistency pFor best accuracy, score at a dedicated time slot in the day, rather than fitting it in at milking Using the data The best way to assess BCS is to map individual cow changes in BCS through lactation, from one score to the next.

This means you can react to changes.

Plotting BCS changes on a graph can be helpful.

BCS targets (Holstein) pBCS 2.5 to 3 at drying off (ideally BCS 2.5) pNo more than 0.5 a condition score loss between calving and 60 days post-calving pNever alter BCS in the three weeks before calving pIf you have more than 20% cows with >BCS 3.5, think about corrective action in late lactation.

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(BCS) throughout lactation is a must.

He says: “Cows are harder to manage if they are over body condition score 3 – you’ll be working with that cow a whole lot more. In an ideal world you want a cow body condition score of 2.5 from one day to the next. Consistency is key.”

Strategic body condition scoring through lactation (see panel, page 12) enables over or under conditioned cows to be identified and management practices to be put in place to correct condition before drying off. In an ideal world, condition should not be changed after drying off and definitely not in the three weeks before calving as this can impact health and performance.

Nick Berni, of ForFarmers, says if farmers have more than 20% of cows of over BCS 3.5, then there is a need to think about corrective action in late lactation. He runs through some key questions to ask yourself to see if management changes are needed: Do I have JEREMY high levels of metabolic disease?

A high level of metabolic diseases such as ketosis or DAs can be an indication feeding or body condition score is incorrect. Assess body condition changes, how you manage over conditioned cows and feed access and

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Kexxtone boluses

It is advisable to increase forage in late lactation.

rationing. Target disease incidence in the top 25% of producers (see, page 5).

Is the milking diet right?

High ration starch and energy levels are the biggest risk when it comes to cows gaining condition in late lactation. Too much maize silage or cereals in the diet can be an issue. It is advisable to increase forage in late lactation, reduce starch and increase protein feeding.

Can I split groups?

One group feeding in lactation can work. HowevDAIN er, it can create challenges as staler cows at the end of their lactation may be only producing 20 litres, when they are being rationed for M+25 litres, for example. It is dependent on milk yield, but any extra energy may be partitioned into laying down fat. If you can, split groups so staler cows

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In an ideal world, you want a cow body condition score of 2.5 from one day to the next.

Consistency is key

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are being rationed appropriately.

If you can’t split groups, it’s even more important to monitor cow condition and rumen fill to enable decisions to be made on how you manage at risk cows.

How do I manage fat cows?

Protein feeding can be a useful tool to control BCS in late lactation, although having a balanced diet may remove the need to do so. The process of breaking down protein in the rumen requires energy so it takes energy from the cow which could be used for laying down fat and it also helps break down back fat.

Grazing in late lactation could be a way to use a high protein forage and control BCS. When doing so, ensure cows are receiving enough vitamins and minerals.

Targeted use of the Kexxtone bolus may also be worth considering on at risk and over fat cows (see panel, above).

Is fertility an issue?

Two-hundred days not

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JA Kexxtone bolus can be used to help prevent negative energy balance (NEB) and subsequent disease (see, page 6) in over conditioned or at risk cows.

The bolus contains monensin which causes a change in the rumen microbial population and allows for the production of propionic acid, which is a precursor for glucose. As a result it provides the cow with more energy from the diet, so she breaks down less fat and is prevented from entering the cascade effect associated with NEB. The bolus is licensed for the reduction of ketosis in periparturient cows and heifers and has been shown to reduce subclinical ketosis by up to 74%.

How should it be used?

The bolus can be given three to four weeks prior to calving and is recommended for at risk cows, such as sick, old, over conditioned or twin carrying animals. Cows over BCS 3 could be targeted.

in-calf rate has a big impact on transition, says Mr Dain.

Cows with extended lactations are the ones which get fat and develop issues. Target 10% not in-calf at 200 days in-milk (DIM) and 50% of the herd in-calf by 100 DIM.

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Drying off strategy Drying off strategy has a huge impact on udder health and how well a cow transitions to the next lactation and should be focused around hygiene, good records and responsible medicine use.

How to dry off effectively

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rying off is the perfect opportunity to take control of the udder, cure existing mammary infections and set cows up for a successful following lactation.

The process of giving cows a break from producing milk before they calve in again has been shown to positively impact subsequent milk yields and quality by allowing the mammary tissue time to regenerate (see graph, page 5).

It also provides the greatest opportunity for cows to fight off existing chronic infections and particularly Staphylococcal infections which are hard to cure in lactation. The ultimate aim

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at this stage is to cure existing intramammary infections or chronic cows with high somatic cell counts (SCC) (>200,000 cells/ml) and prevent new infections.

Drying off strategy traditionally involves the use of dry cow therapy (DCT) – a long-acting intramammary antibiotic – with or without an internal teat sealant. Cows should naturally produce a keratin plug at the teat end when dry, however research suggests about 50% of teats have an incomplete keratin plug seven days after drying off. A teat sealant is designed to guard against this by providing an artificial teat end barrier against pathogens.

Hygiene is particularly crucial at this stage as cows are more open to infections around drying off, as well as around calving.

A cow with a low somatic cell count which receives an antibiotic and sealant, versus a sealant alone, is 12 times more likely to develop mastitis due to coliform infections in the next lactation DR ANDREW BRADLEY

14 TCM Toolkit p14 15 16 Drying off Strategy.indd 2

Reassess antibiotic use In recent years, growing concerns over antibiotic resistance has resulted in increasing pressure

Farmers have been pressured to avoid blanket use of antibiotics.

from Government and milk buyers for farmers to avoid blanket use of antibiotics at drying off.

In the past, use of DCT across all cows was recommended as part of the Five Point Plan to control mastitis, but due to the success of the plan, this is no longer as applicable in every case, says Douglas Palmer, northern veterinary adviser for Norbrook.

He explains: “As we have better controlled contagious pathogens, we’ve now got more low SCC cows which means there’s not the need to use DCT on everything.”

Research carried out by Dr Andrew Bradley has also highlighted that using an antibiotic with a sealant on low SCC cows can actually

increase the likelihood of her developing mastitis due to coliform infection in the next lactation by 12 times versus using a sealant alone.

Low cell count cows were defined as cows with no clinical mastitis and with SCC recording of under 200,000 cells/ml in the last three months before drying off.

As a result, there is greater need for farmers to work with their vet to design a targeted, selective approach to DCT which involves only using antibiotics on cows with high SCC or a history of mastitis. Teat sealant alone should then be targeted at low risk animals.

Get management right Whatever strategy employed, to give cows the best chance

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of curing existing mammary infections – while also preventing new infections – top notch, hygienic drying off strategy (see step-by-step panel, below), combined with good environmental management during the whole dry period is essential.

Mr Palmer says: “You need to massively manage the environment. It’s a balance between having the cow in perfect health, with good immunity – helped by a teat barrier – and reducing the amount of bacteria on the teat ends. Whether cows are housed or out at grass, they need to be kept as clean as lactating cows.”

However, data from the AHDB Dairy Mastitis Control Plan shows many farmers’ management during this time could be falling below par.

Stats show 42% of mastitis cases occur in the first 30 days of lactation: a proportion of these will have originated in the dry period. 20.4% of cows calve down with a high SCC, suggesting cows have either been infected during the dry period, or mastitis originating in the previous lactation has failed to cure.

Use your records to assess drying off strategy Mr Palmer says good records form the cornerstones to establishing how successful a farm’s dry cow management is in terms of mastitis control and are vital when adopting selective dry cow therapy (SDCT). He suggests looking at the following: The number of clinical cases of mastitis in the first 30 days of calving – this is a key indicator of dry

1

Teats should be washed with clean, warm water and dried thoroughly as part of the drying off process.

period success as these cases are likely to have been picked up in the dry period.

Recording clinical cases through lactation is vital.

2

Individual cow SCC: Cows which record a SCC of more than 200,000 cells/ml within the first month after calving are likely to

Step-by-step guide on how to dry off 1 Make drying off a dedicated task – do not do during or at the end of milking. Take your time, go to breakfast, come back and bring cows back in to a clean milking parlour 2 Put on clean disposable gloves 3 Wash teats with clean, warm water and dry thoroughly with a clean towel 4 Pre-dip or use a fast acting disinfectant on the teat, leave for a time period which will be dictated by individual products, and wipe dry 5 Wipe the teat clean with

cotton wool and surgical spirit – start with the teats furthest away from you to avoid recontaminating clean teats by leaning across them 6 Don’t take the top off the antibiotic dry cow therapy (DCT) before you have done all of the above 7 If using DCT, insert the tube halfway into the teat end and infuse. Massage up into the udder 8 If you are using a teat sealant this should be given after the DCT but do not insert the tube all the way into the teat canal and don’t massage it up.

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have been infected in the dry period. (Check against records to see whether it is a new infection or a failed cure). Individual cow SCC

It should sit just at the teat end. Complete steps 7 and 8 on the teats closest to you and then move on to the teats furthest away to prevent contamination 9 Dip teats with an effective post-dip (barrier dips may also be used as an external sealant) 10 Let cows stand for at least 30 minutes on a clean standing area to allow teat sphincters to close before they lie down 11 House them in a clean environment away from the milking parlour and herd so they do not experience let-down stimuli

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Drying off strategy records are essential when doing SDCT. Cure rates: The percentage of infected cows (>200,000 cells/ml – high) before drying off that were uninfected (<200,000 cells/ml – low) at their first milk recording. This gives an indication of dry cow management success. If cows go in low and come out high, infection has occurred during the dry period. This can have a detrimental impact on fertility (see page 29).

Clinical mastitis bacterial culture and sensitivity test results: Milk from clinical cases of mastitis should be collected hygienically prior to treatment and frozen. These can then be sent for analysis in batches and used to establish pathogen risk (environmental or contagious) on-farm and appropriate management and what antibiotics should be used at drying off and for clinical cases.

Rolling bulk SCC: This gives an indication of herd level SCC and can be used as a guide to herd mastitis pathogen challenge and the SCC threshold for SDCT (see panel, right).

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5

Mr Palmer stresses correctly defining and recording a clinical case of mastitis is vital and reminds farmers one case of mastitis is finding clinical infection in one-quarter. If mastitis reoccurs seven days after infection, this is a new case.

Adopt a selective dry cow therapy to suit your farm A farm-specific SDCT strategy should be designed in conjunction with the farm’s vet. This will involve: Looking at the herd and individual SCC and clinical mastitis records A low herd SCC suggests the subclinical mastitis in the herd is under control. Cows which are eligible just to receive a sealant should have had no cases of clinical mastitis in the last half of lactation and low SCC readings of generally under 200,000 cells/ml over the last three milk recordings.

These thresholds may vary for individual farms which is why it is important to discuss these decisions with your vet.

Setting a SCC threshold for SDCT with your vet The SCC threshold you use

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2

Key SCC and mastitis targets pLess than 10% of animals should calve in with high SCC (including heifers) pOf cows which are dried off with a high SCC (>200,000 cells/ml), 85% should calve in with low SCC (cure rate) pOf cows which are

for SDCT will vary depending on bulk SCC on your farm. For example, if your bulk count is 200,000-250,000 cells/ml the threshold for cows may be 100,000 cells/ml and 50,000 cells/ml for heifers. If your bulk count is 100,000-150,000 cells/ml the threshold may be higher at 200,000 cells/ml for cows and 150,000cells/ml for heifers, ask your vet to help determine what is suitable for your farm.

Ensuring staff are trained and protocols are in place Work with your vet to train staff to ensure best practice drying off strategy is adhered to. Everything must be scrupulously clean, especially

3

dried off with a low SCC (<200,000 cells/ml), less than 10% should calve in with a high SCC (new infection) pLess than one in 12 cows per 30-day period postcalving should develop clinical mastitis Source: Andrew Bradley, QMMS

when just using a sealant as if you introduce a pathogen, it can be fatal.

Using antibiotics where necessary: DCT should still be used on the cows which need it to cure infections. Ensure you select the right type of antibiotic based on pathogen risk and length of dry period.

Look at the withdrawal period – if your dry period is 40 days, you don’t want a withdrawal longer than that.

Equally if you have a relatively long dry period, you may consider choosing dry cow tubes with a longer duration of efficacy, depending on the types of mastitis you have on your farm.

4

Example of how to select cows for SDCT using individual cow records Cow number Days to Days to Highest SCC in

dry off calve last 90 days (cells/ml)

Last SCC No. High SCC Mastitis cases (cells/ml)

Latest milk yield (litres)

1

-250

285,000

277,000

10/50

1

8.6

2

-24

35

29,000

29,000

0/11

0

14

3

0

60

501,000

450,000

7/14

2

7

4

20

80

130,000

104,000

1/9

1

24

*This is an example only. Discuss farm-specific strategy with your vet.

1= Suspicious of Staph aureus infection – this needs culling it has not responded to therapy and is a reservoir of infection for the rest of the herd.

2= Consistently low SCC no previous mastitis cases, therefore could be a candidate for SDCT. 3= This has had two clinical cases of mastitis and a consistently high SCC, this would need DCT as well as a sealant and watching closely in the next lactation.

4= Has had a case of clinical mastitis but the SCC has been low for the last 90 days. This therefore could be a candidate for SDCT so long as nothing changes between now and drying off.

16 TCM Toolkit p14 15 16 Drying off Strategy.indd 4

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Seal in your profits with

650 mg/g bismuth subnitrate

For proven protection when it matters most.

We are currently milking about 100 Brown Swiss cows. The milk is sold predominately for cheese production but some for fresh milk. Cell counts are low at 120,000 and mastitis rates are also low at only 18 cases for last year, which is particularly important for cheese production. We put this down to attention to detail at drying off, which is why we use NoroSeal teat sealant along with a good dry cow antibiotic tube.

We have been using NoroSeal for about 18 months and we find it is easy to use.

We would happily recommend the use of NoroSeal to other dairy farmers.

Paul Thorne Herd Manager JF Temple and son Norfolk

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18/08/2016 16:17 10:12 15/08/2016

Far-off period The focus in the far-off period – defined as the period from drying off until 20 days before calving – should be on maintaining condition and keeping cows full and healthy.

Keep period ticking along

T

he far-off period should be viewed as a ‘stress free maintenance phase’, where no massive changes are made so as to avoid stress and maintain dry matter intakes.

Nick Berni, of ForFarmers, says the aim is to keep things ticking along. He adds: “The aim is to keep cows full and not put any condition on.

Treat it as a recovery period where the cow rests and the udder regenerates.”

As well as ensuring cows are in a stress free, clean environment with plenty of feed and water access (see page 31), attention should also be placed on nutrition and managing mastitis risk.

Nutrition Far-off nutrition should be geared around keeping cows full and satisfied, without over feeding energy, which can result in cows getting over conditioned and being

more prone to metabolic issues (see page 6).

Keeping cows full is also essential, as better DMI at this stage will results in high DMI post-calving which will help prevent post-calving diseases (see graph).

JKeep rations basic.

JFeed higher levels of forage to keep cows full.

JFeed high levels of straw as this helps keep cows full, but is low in energy.

JAvoid grazing cows on lush grass and feeding green forages. This is important to prevent cows from getting over conditioned. Green forages are also high in calcium which can make the cow lazy when it comes to mobilising calcium at calving and subsequently increases the risk of milk fever.

JManage cows on low grass covers and supplement with a little grass silage and straw.

Mastitis The risk of mastitis infection

Far-off dry period feeding targets pFocus areas: Manage BCS Maintain good health pEnergy (MJ/day): Up to 100 pProtein (%DM): 11-12 pStarch (%DM): <10 pFibre: Around 4-5kg straw (chopped)

18 TCM Toolkit p18 Far Off Period.indd 2

pCalcium (g): >30-<60 (Low) pPhosphorus (g): 25-45 pMagnesium (g): 50 (High) pVitamin E (IU): Up to 500 pSelenium (mg): 3.5

Graph 1: Dry matter intakes before and after calving Source: Janovick-Guretzy and Drackley, 2006

is highest around drying off due to the back pressure of milk and the delay in formation of the teat keratin plug. In fact, 5% of cows are shown never to form a complete keratin plug which places them at greater risk.

It is rare for infections to cause clinical disease in the dry period, but there is a chance infections picked up at this time will manifest as clinical cases in the first month of calving.

Infections picked up in the dry period have been shown to result in: JReduced yield in the infected quarter, reduced milk quality.

JIncreased susceptibility to subclinical mastitis.

Whether an artificial sealant is used or not, or whether cows are housed or at grass, it is essential they are managed in a clean environment. This is particularly important considering

most infections picked up in the dry period are caused by the environmental pathogens E.coli or Strep uberis, says Stephanie Small, of Norbrook.

To minimise risk in the far-off period, she suggests: JGraze the same paddock for a maximum of two weeks.

JRest paddocks for four weeks.

JAvoid rough pasture with thistle and gorse to prevent teat damage, which can act as a route for infection for summer mastitis which is spread by the sheep head fly. Rivers and woods should also be avoided, as these flies are more common in these areas.

JKeep bedding clean and house in appropriately sized cubicles.

JScrape passage regularly.

JCarry out hygiene scoring on cows.

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It’s Here…

A new way to protect her potential and your future

Helps restore her natural immunity During the time around calving, dairy cows suffer an immunity dip. This leaves them vulnerable to key transition diseases (such as mastitis) and you facing stress, frustration and disruption of your day-to-day farm management.

When cows suffer a dip in immunity around calving, Imrestor™ assists the natural immune system by restoring the function and increasing the number of neutrophils.

To help prevent immune suppression and protect the potential of your herd, contact your Vet. Use medicines responsibly. www.noah.co.uk/responsible. Always seek advice on the correct use of this or alternative medicines from the medicine prescriber.

In the UK Imrestor POM-V contains pegbovigrastim. For side effects, precautions, warnings and contra indications refer to product packaging and leaflets. For further information, see Summary of Product Characteristics. For further information, contact Elanco Animal Health, Priestley Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9NL Tel: (01256 353131) Imrestor, Elanco and the diagonal bar are trademarks owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates. ©2016 Elanco Animal Health UKDRYIRS00032c Apr 16

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18/08/2016 10:14

Close-up period The close-up period – defined as the 20 days prior to calving – is by far the most important stage in terms of nutritional and stress management and will determine how successfully a cow transitions into lactation.

Getting it right close to calving will pay dividends

T

he three weeks prior to calving is a crucial stage in the cow’s cycle and should be focused around getting her ready to cope with the metabolic stresses of calving.

Everything should be set up in the cow’s favour to encourage dry matter intakes, reduce stress (see page 22) and limit the risk of negative energy balance at calving.

Rations should also be carefully balanced to prime hormonal systems so they are ready to mobilise calcium at calving and prevent milk fever and other associated diseases (see page 6).

Nick Berni, of ForFarmers, says there are multiple ways to meet the cow’s nutritional

Nick Berni

20 TCM Toolkit p20 21 22 23 Close up Period.indd 2

Controlling calcium balance JWhen a cow calves, her calcium requirements increase 2.5 to three times. Close-up rations should be geared around priming the hormonal system so the cow is able to mobilise calcium at calving to meet this increased demand and therefore avoid milk fever (see page 6).

Key ration considerations The calcium pathway is controlled by Parathyroid hormone (PTH). Low ration magnesium levels

or high phosphorus will negatively impact on PTH and so all diets should be formulated to account for this. To encourage the calcium pathway: pCow should be made metabolically acidotic (low blood pH) – in response, the cow will then release calcium (a positive charged cation which will help raise blood pH) pAnions (negatively charged), such as sulphur and chlorine can be used to help decrease blood pH

needs. This could involve feeding one diet through the entire dry period or feeding different rations in the far-off and close-up period.

He says: “There’s no one size fits all, it’s about following certain guidelines and ensuring consistency.”

Ultimately, all rations need to be balanced to deliver certain levels of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace elements (see ‘Close to calving feeding targets panel, page 21). Correct anion/cation balance is particularly vital to prevent milk

fever (see ‘Controlling calcium balance’ panel, above).

Mr Berni runs through some of the diet options in the close-up period: The low calcium approach This involves controlling and restricting calcium intake in the close up period by using feeds low in calcium. This primes the cow’s natural response to release Parathyroid hormone (PTH).

He says the simplicity of the system is attractive and the diet can also be fed all

1

pAvoid feeding high potassium as this will make the blood alkaline so the cow does not adjust calcium in the blood to counteract acidity.

Alkaline conditions also mean magnesium is not absorbed which negatively impacts the pathway pFeed magnesium prior to calving pUse feeds with a low dietary cation anion balance (DCAB) (see table, page 21)

the way through the dry period. However, it can be difficult to manage, unless a farm has supplies of maize, wholecrop and straw, which are naturally low in calcium (see table, page 21).

“It’s also less flexible and calcium is largely out of your control as you’re stuck with what you’ve got in your grass silage, etc.,” he says.

Key parameters: J>30-<60g calcium (higher if using a DCAB system) JAbout 30-40g phosphorus

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JMore than 50g magnesium JSource of Vitamin D Using calcium binders Mr Berni describes this as an ‘active low calcium system’.

By feeding a calcium binder, calcium is actively bound in the intestine and is less available for absorption. The idea is the cow then thinks she is lacking in calcium and becomes more efficient in her calcium mobilisation.

“The main benefit is it allows greater flexibility as farmers don’t have to worry as much about feeding high calcium feeds like grass silage,” explains Mr Berni.

Forage mineral analysis is a must when adopting such a system, as is ensuring only transition cows receive the binder. Farmers feeding low calcium forages such as maize should also be wary as binders may bind too much calcium.

Key parameters: J>30-<60g calcium JAbout 30-40g phosphorus JOver 50g magnesium JNo anionic salts JVitamin D Full dietary cation anion balance (DCAB) This aim of this system is to bring the cow into mild metabolic acidosis by using anions to acidify the blood (see ‘Controlling calcium balance’ panel, page 20).

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3

“

There’s no one size fits all, it’s all about following certain guidelines and ensuring consistency NICK BERNI

Pros and cons of different feeds Forage is a more important consideration during the close-up period due to its high inclusion rate. This means analysis and understanding the key attributes of different feeds is essential to promote optimum metabolic state.

Feed Maize silage

Grass silage

Fresh grass

Wholecrop Hay

Straw

Key attributes A good close up feed due to its low calcium and DCAB levels compared to grass silage. Its high starch and energy levels make it unattractive for feeding in the far-off period A high DCAB feed which makes it a challenging feed in the close-up period. However, its high protein levels make it useful in the close-up ration Early season fresh grass is very high in calcium and DCAB level which makes it difficult to manage. The high protein is beneficial. Its high energy makes it a potential problem in the far-off period A decent all-rounder which is relatively high in energy and starch, but has good fibre, low calcium and DCAB levels – a good close-up feed Not particularly energy-dense with lots of fibre, which means it can be fed all the way through the dry period. In the close-up period it will need to be part of a calcium control system as it is a green forage so high in calcium and DCAB Good all-rounder, high in fibre and low in DCAB, calcium and energy.

Main downside is low protein

Anionic salts like magnesium chloride, ammonium chloride or a mix of salts can be incorporated into the diet.

Forages, like maize, which have a low DCAB value should be fed. Green forages tend to have a higher DCAB and so more anionic salts need to be fed. To track this system, urine pH should be monitored regularly.

“It’s quite labour intensive – forage mineral analysis and urine testing are essential, as is attention to detail as it has to be done just in the last three weeks before calving,” adds Mr Berni.

Key parameters: J>125g calcium JAbout 30-40g phosphorus J>50g magnesium JVitamin D JDCAB of -100 to -150 JUrine pH of 6-6.5 Partial DCAB Instead of full metabolic acidosis, this brings the cow into partial acidosis.

This is a less labour intensive system which does not require

4

urine pH to be tested or extra calcium to be added in.

Key parameters: J>30-<60g calcium JAbout 30-40g phosphorus J>50g magnesium JVitamin D JDCAB -10/+10meq Diluting the milker’s ration The milker’s ration can be diluted by adding chopped straw. This can work, but it is important to adhere to stand-

5

Close to calving feeding targets pFocus areas: Calcium management, rumen development, liver function, colostrum quality pEnergy (MJ/day): Up to 120 pProtein (%DM): 13-14 pStarch (%DM): Up to 15 pFibre: Around 3-4kg straw (chopped) pCalcium (g): >30-<60 (low level – unless full DCAB used)

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ard nutrient requirements (see panel, left), provide the right minerals and avoid overfeeding energy.

“Milker’s minerals can contain high calcium. If you leave calcium in, you can increase the risk of milk fever as it makes cows lazy. Excessive energy and starch from early lactation rations may also cause issues with over conditioning,” says Mr Berni.

pPhosphorus (g): 25-45 pMagnesium (g): <50 (high) pVitamin E (IU): Up to 1,400 pSelenium (mg): 3.5 *Protein is essential in the close-up period.

A ForFarmers study has also found feeding 13-14% crude protein levels at this stage promotes the highest level of colostrum quality post-calving.

21 19/08/2016 14:33

Close-up period Tips for a stress free close-up period

E

very part of management in the close to calving period should be geared around providing a stress free, hygienic environment and promoting good feed intakes.

Providing a clean environment is particularly vital as mastitis infection risk from environmental pathogens is heightened around one to three weeks before calving as the cow begins to prepare for milk production in a process called colostrogenesis.

Making sure body condition

(see page 12), immune function and nutrition are correct will make animals less prone to infection.

To promote general health and performance, Mr Berni, Stephanie Small, of Norbrook, and independent dairy veterinary consultant Francis Cosgrave, suggest thinking about the following: Are you providing enough space and light?

Aim for: JPlenty of clean, fresh water – 10cm water trough space per cow.

JA minimum 1sq.m lying

space per 1,000 litres of milk production per cow per year pre-calving, plus a third as much again loafing/feeding area – this helps with social order, cleanliness, lameness and stress.

JNo over-crowding – pre-calving shed should be built for 30% greater capacity than the average so it is never overstocked.

J75cm feed trough space or more and 24-hour access (Owen Atkinson, In Practice).

JEight hours of 200 lux (ability to read a newspaper) and 16 hours of 50 lux (full moon on a clear night).

Is bedding and hygiene top notch?

JScrape passages daily.

JMuck out loose yards completely every four to six weeks, power wash and disinfect.

JTop up beds regularly.

JMake sure cubicle measurements are correct – this will promote lying and limit risk of udder contamination.

JConsider bedding type for ease of management and maximum hygiene (see more on bedding and cubicle dimensions at www.dairy. ahdb.org.uk).

JSand is the gold standard

Every part of the close-up period should be geared around providing a stress free, hygienic environment and promoting good feed intakes.

22 TCM Toolkit p20 21 22 23 Close up Period.indd 4

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for comfort and hygiene – only use fine washed sand.

JCorrect ventilation is also important to prevent condensation from falling on the beds and creating a perfect, warm, damp environment for mastitis-causing pathogens.

JThink about hygiene when cows are at grass (see page 18).

Is your worming strategy up-to-date?

Parasites can affect production, body condition and dry matter intakes, so treatment is vital. The dry period can provide an ideal opportunity to treat animals, particularly when it comes to fluke as products are not licensed for use in milking cows. Treating for gut worm has also been shown to result in a 1kg per head per day increase in DMI in dairy cows. Speak to your vet about an appropriate strategy.

Am I limiting pen moves?

Avoid moving cows close to calving wherever possible (unless in the second stage of labour – see panel, right).

Moving cows before calving is also likely to reduce DMI at a critical time and could delay the calving process, which, in turn could reduce calf viability and increase the risk of a retained placenta.

If moving between groups, move in pairs. (Owen Atkinson, In Practice).

Have you got a stress free calving line?

This concept stems around avoiding social conflict in the freshly-calved cow and minimising changes in

Ideally animals should move into a fresh cow group after calving to allow closer monitoring.

environment. Ideally the close to calving group is housed directly adjacent to the freshly-calved group.

Changes experienced by the cow between pre- and post-calving are then minimised to diet change and movement into a small group with which it has already had contact. The fresh cow pen should be designed to maximise comfort and reduce competition for feed.

Are you identifying at risk cows?

Older cows, high yielders and those which have had a previous case of milk fever will be more prone to milk fever. Think about using a calcium bolus on these cows as a preventative measure.

These cows could also benefit from being drenched with propylene glycol at calving to limit negative energy balance. And a monensin bolus could be used on cows at risk of ketosis (see page 12). n Use the Fresh Cow Checklist on page 27 to ensure you are doing everything right at this stage.

Tips for calving FRANCIS Cosgrave provides some key considerations around calving.

Avoid moving cows during calving pDo not interrupt the calving process to move cows to new surroundings as this can upset the process pOnly move cows once the calf’s feet are showing (known as ‘just in time calving’). This gives the advantage of spending more time feeding with her herd mates and less time in the calving box, so it’s easier to maintain cleanliness. Labour is a consideration as 24-hour surveillance is vital pIf cows calve in a loose straw yard with others, remove the calf immediately (snatch calving) to avoid Johne’s contamination risk from feces

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Consider using a fresh cow group Ideally animals should move into a fresh cow group after calving to allow closer monitoring and targeted feeding before they enter the milking group. However, do not have a fresh group for the sake of it. It must be managed correctly and be low stocked with plenty of feed and lying space.

Question why you are seeing problems and act The aim should be to prevent issues from developing. If you are seeing high levels of milk fever or you are having to drench lots of cows with propylene glycol, ask why? Are they in the right body condition (see page 12), are they receiving a balanced DCAB diet? Are they getting the correct level of magnesium pre-calving?

23 19/08/2016 13:30

Close to calving CASE STUDY Maximising dry matter intakes and reducing stress so cows get off to the best start are the main focuses of transition cow management at Kynsal Farm, in Cheshire.

Maximising cow comfort and intakes benefits cow health

E

d Seaton’s belief a successful transition period is linked to consistency and limited group changes was proven as soon as management changed and cows moved into a new shed.

Up until 2014, high stocking rates in the loose straw transition yard meant cows had been put out to grass at certain times of the year and then brought back in to calve.

Such moves were associated with spikes in retained foetal membranes and some milk fevers (see, page 6).

Mr Seaton, who farms with his father Peter and uncle John, says: “It was not a massive amount, but if we got

Ed Seaton’s top tips for a successful transition pFocus on consistency – limit group changes to prevent stress pEnsure cows are in an optimum condition score 3 at drying off – this stems from good pregnancy rates pMaximise intakes – push up feed regularly and prevent lameness

24 TCM Toolkit p24 25 Close to Calving Case Study.indd 2

calving pen, just as they are about to calve.

“We found the worse thing with dry cows is change. I really wanted a shed they could stay in all the way through.

I knew we’d benefit from it and it would sort a lot of our issues,” adds Mr Seaton.

Shed design and management have also placed dry matter intakes and cow comfort at their heart. This includes:

Ed Seaton knew his dry cows would benefit from a new shed.

a bad month, and there was bit too much grass, we’d get a spike in retained membranes of maybe five out of 10 cows.

It was the grass and the stress of moving them inside to calve.”

Although tempted to increase cow numbers, instead Mr Seaton decided investing in transition cow management was the best way to spend the business’ money in the longterm. As a result, a dedicated transition yard was put up with sand cubicles and a separate loose straw calving pen.

Mr Seaton chose to stick with the existing management system of running one group of far-off and close to calving cows, fed one diet as this had proved successful for more

than a decade with low levels of milk fever.

The herd is made up of 270 Holsteins, yielding 11,800 litres a cow a year at 3.8% fat and 3.1% protein. Cows are dry for 60 days and are fed 7.5kg of straw chopped to 3in in the wagon, 6kg of grass silage, 6kg maize silage, 2.5kg of the milker’s blend, 150g of dry cow minerals, 120g urea, 120g limestone flour, 120g magnesium flakes, plus 5kg a head of water.

The main management changes have been focused around providing plenty of space so dry cows can be housed all-year-round and moved once into the

Epoxy resin at the feed barrier Resin has been laid at the feed face with the aim of promoting feed intakes which are crucial in preventing metabolic disease (see, page 6). “They just get stuck into the mix and lick the floor clean,” says Mr Seaton.

The smoothness of the resin also means pushing up the feed four-five times a day by

“

We found the worst thing with dry cows is change. I really wanted a shed they could stay in all the way through ED SEATON

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Sand cubicle beds have been put in for cow comfort.

Resin has been laid at the feed fence to promote feed intakes.

hand is an easy task. Its cool nature also prevents the ration from heating up.

“Dry matter intakes are the number one factor in the dry period. I love to see cows full.

We can get amazing rumen fill and you need that in the dry period so they’re ready for the next stage,” adds Mr Seaton.

cow group within one hour of calving.

Sand cubicles and plenty of feed space To promote cow comfort, a double row of 45, 4ft by 9ft sand cubicle beds have been put in. These have been installed slightly wider than for the milkers to cater for slightly larger, pregnant cows. At certain times, this area can still become highly stocked, so the aim is to build a separate in-calf heifer yard in the future to limit stress on younger animals.

Feed space has been carefully calculated to provide the recommended minimum of 750mm a cow.

Permanent footbath A permanent footbath has

been installed in front of the water trough on one of the cross over passageways as a way of controlling digital dermatitis (DD).

Dry cows have always been run through a 3% formalin footbath on occasion, but installing a permanent system ensures DD is truly brought under control.

“Before, we were picking up digital dermatitis in the dry period and I felt that was impacting on dry matter intakes. If there’s a lame cow in there, they won’t eat as much as they’re lying more,” Mr Seaton says.

Fresh cow care As soon as a cow is about to calve, she is moved from the cubicles into the adjacent calving pen. Immediately after calving, water and a tub of the milker’s ration are put in front of her. If calving occurs in the night, the cow is positioned behind a gate and colostrum taken using a mobile milking unit. The cow is then put in a dedicated fresh

Dedicated fresh cow group Cows are managed on a loose straw yard in a dedicated fresh cow group for one week post-calving to enable close monitoring. Stocking rates are kept low and cows are temperature checked daily, with rumen fill, dry matter intakes and yields monitored.

Mr Seaton is not a fan of the straw yard at this stage due to the mastitis risk.

Moving forward, the aim is to replace the yard with sand cubicles to enable cows to be kept in this group for longer.

Focus on fertility In 2015, the business introduced Cogent’s Precision breeding service and has subsequently seen an improvement in pregnancy rates (see panel, above). The service involves automated heat detection, combined with back up from breeding technicians.

By improving fertility the

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TCM Toolkit p24 25 Close to Calving Case Study.indd 3

Transition success stats (June 2015-16 – for 324 calvings) p9% retained cleansing p1% Milk fever p2% DAs p12% metritis p2% mastitis in first 30 days p45 days to get out of negative energy pPregnancy rate: March 2016: 22%, March 2015: 14%

aim is to prevent cows from having extended lactations and subsequently becoming over conditioned and calving in with problems.

Mr Seaton says: “Fertility is probably the key driver to the whole business. If you can get the pregnancy rate up, you can limit the number getting too fat. We want a text book dry cow: drying off at condition score 3 and staying at that, easy calving, and in-calf by 100 days in-milk.”

25 19/08/2016 13:30

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Checklist n a cow is at her most Calving to day 10 post-calving is the time whe re you have everything in vulnerable. Use the following checklist to ensu place to provide a smooth transition.

At calving

q Cows are only moved six to 12 hours before

calving, or when both of the calves’ feet are visible during labour q Lukewarm water, within easy reach is being offered to cows immediately after calving q The milker’s ration is put in front of the cow’s

checks Fresh cow healthmon itored one-two q Rectal temperatures

times during the 10-day period and action taken. 38.4degC = Cow requires attention, 38.4-39degC = Okay, 39-39.5degC = Cow requires attention, 39.5degC = Requirement

nose straight after calving q Colostrum is collected cleanly within two ile hours of calving (in the parlour or with a mob

for treatment q The cow is cleaned with sterile solution s before any internal examinations and glove

worn q Rumen fill scores are carried out to milking unit) itor dry matter intakes (target a score of q The same milking routine used in the parlour mon r three - view a guide to rumen scoring unde is used to collect colostrum (i.e. gloves worn, the videos section at www.vital90days.co.uk/ pre-/post-dipping) vital-90-days/tips-advices.aspx q A calcium bolus is given to cows at risk of q Cudding rates are monitored – reduced milk fever (third lactation+, over conditioned rates could be a sign of a DA or dehydration animals, or those with history of milk fever) she has not cleansed (target >90% resting q Propylene glycol (energy drink) given to cows or cows ruminating and at least 60 chews/cud) at risk of ketosis (at risk cows same as above) q Visual assessments are combined with q Calf removed within one to two hours milk records to get an idea of performance (reduced milk and reduce cudding, plus a

After calving

q Cows are managed in a dedicated fresh cow

group with low stocking density for a minimum of seven days (if space/management allows) q Fresh cows with problems are not kept in a general sick cow group (this increases infection risk) q Fresh cows are easy to identify in the herd, for example with spray paint marking date of

calving q Bedding is cleaned and topped up regularly (immunity drops at calving making her more susceptible to infection) q Cows have good access to fresh feed q Body condition is assessed and recorded q Visual checks carried out at least twice-a-day

temperature could be a sign of a DA) q Ketone testing is carried out a minimum of every three-four weeks on a sample of cows in the first two-21 days in milk as a monitoring tool to assess dry cow management (ketosis levels) q Any signs of heat are monitored and recorded

Records

q All staff are trained on fresh cow check protocols q Checks are being marked off on a whiteboard or notebook which everyone can see

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27 19/08/2016 15:23

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Fertility The drive to get a cow back in-calf should start as soon as she calves and should stem around maintaining health through targeted vet checks and tracking fertility parameters.

Tips for a fertile future

A

s soon as a cow calves her body clock starts to kick-in to bring about her next 21-day cycle, so it is vital management is geared around maximising your chances of getting her back in-calf.

Getting her cycling and served at the right time is important as this will impact on calving interval and lactation yields. The aim should be for a 365-day calving interval.

Getting cows pregnant to meet this is crucial considering as on average each extra day open costs roughly £2, according to Nottingham University’s Chris Hudson.

To ensure good fertility, Jeremy Dain, of Cogent UK, advises the following: Carry out fresh cow checks Fresh cow checks should be carried out daily post-calving to ensure metabolic stability (see, page 27).

Present vets eligible cows Post-natal checks should be carried out by a vet about 30 days post-calving to enable issues to be picked up and addressed. Present: JEvery cow which has had

some kind of hiccup around calving.

JCows which have not shown any visual signs of heat.

JRepeat bullers.

Monitor fertility parameters Keeping track of certain parameters will help track fertility success and flag up cows for attention: JSet a voluntary waiting period (VWP) – This will be farm-specific, but determines the time you decide to wait before serving. If it is 42 DIM, you would serve at the next heat after this.

JSigns of heat – Check for sign of heat from the moment she calves. If she goes cystic, she could be bulling every four to five days, which is a sign vet intervention is necessary.

JRecord heats (reference heats) which occur before your VWP – This gives an idea of when she is likely to bull again.

JSet a heat deadline (HD) – This is the number of days post-calving you would like to see a first heat by (farm-specific). If a cow has not shown signs of heat by your HD, she needs presenting to a vet. She may need putting on a hormonal synchronisation

It is vital management is geared around getting a cow back in-calf.

programme (speak to your vet).

JService deadline – The number of days post-calving you would like animals served by. This can become the trigger for a synchronisation programme. Ideally all cows should have been served at least once by 90 DIM. JPregnancy diagnosis (PD) – Early diagnosis enables you to

How to achieve good fertility pPromote dry matter intakes: If DMI drops and cows go into extreme negative energy balance (see page 6) she will eventually lose condition which will negatively impact on fertility pGood udder health: 100% of cows with somatic cell counts (SCC) of <100,000 cells/ml were found to ovulate versus 44% of cows with SCC of >100,000 cells/ml which were also lame (Morris, Smith and Dobson) pAvoid milk fever: Cows which get milk fever are less likely to cleanse, so more prone to infection which could impact fertility

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TCM Toolkit p29 Fertility.indd 3

maximise quick re-enrolment to those deemed not pregnant and/or quiet/anoestrous.

JPercentage of non-bullers – Cows seen which are treated for being quiet, an-ovular or cystic, etc.

JWeekly lists of open animals – Useful for showing animals past VWP, not served and/or PD’d not in-calf and not served post-diagnosis.

pAvoid endometritis: Cows with clinical endometritis between 20 and 33 DIM took 27% longer to become pregnant. They were also 1.7 times more likely to be culled for reproductive failure than cows without endometritis (University of Guelph) pThink about sire selection: A difficult calving can add 28 days to calving interval in heifers and result in a 5-12% loss in milk (AHDB Dairy). Avoid bulls which will produce large calves. Consider selecting bulls for calving ease or using sexed semen (heifer calves are smaller)

29 19/08/2016 13:32

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Troubleshooting at the following areas. If you Walk round your transition cow yards and look targets, our experts advise are not hitting any of the below gold standard asking how you can improve management.

Housing

q <5% cows perching in cubicles (>5%

suggests neck rail in wrong place) q Lunge space – >75cm of unobstructed head space for lunging q >100% cubicles versus cows q <5% cows with hock lesions (high levels

are indication of poor comfort) q 1sq.m/1,000 litres of milk produced of lying space q >75cm feed space/cow or four cows per five headlocks in the transition area q Good ventilation with additional mechanical ventilation for when temperatures are >22degC q Consideration given to stable groups to (target – no group changes from drying off p calving and cows moved into lactating grou in a minimum of pairs)

Helpful resources pBody condition scoring guide: Download a body condition scoring fact sheet and recording pad at www.dairy.ahdb.org.uk to pAssessing rumen fill: View a video guide k/ assessing rumen fill at www.vital90days.co.u spx ces.a vital-90-days/tips-advi pBuildings advice: AHDB Dairy has a ‘Dairy housing best practice guide’. Request a copy at http://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/resources-library/ technical-information/buildings/dairy-housing plT4 MBq5 #.V6M a-best-practice-guide/ pHealthy Start Checklist: Elanco has a Healthy Start Checklist designed to review your transition system together with your vet.

Request a copy at www.vital90days.co.uk/

Cow factors

q <10% of cows of body condition score 3.5 or over q <5% milk fever q <2% displaced abomasums q <8% retained foetal membranes q <8% mastitis in first 30 days q Routine ketosis monitoring

er access Nutrition and watced with high bulk and q The diet is well balan

low energy q No evidence of sorting q Fresh food is delved daily q No signs of wastage or ration heating q Feed is pushed up throughout the day q No restricted access to the ration q Passageways and troughs are cleaned daily q <10% of close up cows have a rumen fill of <4% q >5% refusals at a time of new feed delivered q >90% resting cows are ruminating with a minimum 60 chews per cud q >10cm linear access per cow of clean water q Water troughs located in more than two lactations in the pen

request-form.aspx

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Transition Cow Management Toolkit checklist

Close-up period Setting cows up

q Body condition score is monitored regularly

and specifically 100 days before calving q Over conditioned cows are split off/managed accordingly to get them right before calving q Cows are BCS 2.5-3 at drying off q A kexxtone bolus is used on cows at more risk of negative energy balance q Metabolic disease incidence is monitored and used to gauge transition success

Drying off

q Clinical cases of mastitis and individual cow

SCC are recorded q A selective dry cow therapy regime has been designed in consultation with a vet q Drying off protocols are in place and all staff are trained q Drying off is a dedicated task q Drying off protocols are adhered to and cleanliness is top notch q Teat sealant is put at the end of the teat canal and not massaged up q Cows are left to stand after drying off and moved to a clean area

Far-off period

q Diet is simple, low in energy and with plenty of forage q Cows are not grazed on lush grass q At grass, cows are on low grass covers q Cows are supplemented with magnesium q Paddocks are rotated and rested for four weeks to avoid mastitis infection q Bedding is clean and cubicles are the correct size q Cows are at the right body condition

TCM Toolkit p32 Back page Checklist.indd 2

q Cows are being supplemented with

magnesium q Green forages (high in calcium) are avoided or managed accordingly q Cows have plenty of feed, lying and water trough space q Nothing is impeding dry matter intakes q Beds are cleaned regularly q A worming strategy is in place q Cows at risk of milk fever or negative energy balance are identified and treated accordingly

At calving

q Cows are only moved into the calving pen after the calf’s feet are showing q The system has been assessed to see if a fresh cow group could be used to allow closer

monitoring q Lukewarm water, within easy reach is being offered to cows immediately after calving q The milker’s ration is put in front of the cow’s

nose straight after calving q Disease incidence is recorded and preventative systems are in place if incidence is too high q Fresh cow checks are in place (temperatures, rumen fill, etc.)

Fertility checks

q Post-natal checks are carried out by a vet 30

days post-calving q Signs of heat are monitored as soon as a cow calves q A heat and service deadline are set and used as a trigger for animal enrolment onto a

synchronisation programme q Bulls are selected to avoid large calves and difficult calvings q Everything is in place to encourage dry matter intakes post-calving

19/08/2016 13:33