Welfare article for Cow Management supplement

Start discussing shortening the dry period amongst any group of farmers or vets, and eyebrows will be raised, and some people will express concerns about the impact on cow well-being.  But, if you look at it from the perspective of what can negatively affect cow welfare, the positive effects of short dry periods come clear.

What can negatively affect cow welfare?

            Over-crowding

            Social problems (mixing, bullying)

            Disease problems (eg mastitis, ketosis)

            Changing diets that lead to changes within the body’s digestive system

A number of papers have been produced by leading vets and nutritionists on the benefits of shortening dry periods and, here, vet Rosemary Booth picks off some welfare-related points.

▪ Over-crowding

Many farms that move to a shorter dry cow period find that housing is, in fact, eased as the dry cows can be managed as one group, either inside or out depending on the system.

▪ Social problems

Cows have distinct rankings within a pen and these dictate the stability of the group.  Moving cows from one group to another results in a period of increased social interaction before they stabilise again.  These changes all have an effect on dry matter intake, milk yield, and the amount of time a cow spends lying down.

▪ Diseases

Studies from the US (where short dry periods have been in operation for some time) indicate lower rates of metabolic disease are seen in early lactation where cows are dry for less than the standard 55-60 day period.  A shorter dry period also means less time for new intramammary infections to occur.

▪ Changing diets

Feeding the dry cows one ration means less change (stress) during that period, and has also been shown to minimise the impact of the reduced dry matter intake characteristic of the immediate pre-calving period (in all cows, whatever the situation).  This in turn limits the time they spend in negative energy balance period, which can have significant negative effects on the animal’s health at calving, and fertility in the next lactation.

Although the list above is only a very brief review at the relationship between short dry periods and cow welfare, there is much more work which supports the idea that, contrary to what some sceptics may think, short dry cow periods can actually improve welfare.