Close up period: 2-3 Weeks before Calving

It is one of the most important periods to avoid diseases during lactation. Milk production
during early lactation relates to how cows were managed one month before calving
through two months after calving. The dry period for a dairy cow does set the stage for
the next lactation. Cows three weeks before calving need to be managed and fed so that
they are ready to consume the type of forages and more grain when they enter the milking
herd, are healthy, and are ready to consume as much feed as soon as possible after
calving.
In this period, the decrease in feed intake of dam reduces the weight of growing calf and
also reduces digestive space. There is a strong increase in energy needs of dam for final
calf growth.

1. Dry cows within three weeks of calving should be fed and managed separately
from the other dry cows.
2. Ration should be similar to ration given after calving period.
3. If the dry cows are not fed silage, they need to be introduced to silage two to three
weeks before calving
4. Milk fever and other diseases can be mainly prevented by good feeding before
calving. In the dry ration, large amounts of grass from fertilized land should be
avoided.
5. It is important to control Protein, Calcium (Ca) and Potassium (K) level in the
ration; also other minerals, like Phosphorus (P), and Magnesium (Mg) have an
important role.
6. It is very important that close-up dry cows do not go off-feed. If they go off-feed,
this can result in an increased incidence of many health problems and decrease
milk production after calving.
7. Ask your feed adviser to analyze your ration.
8. Shift the animals to calving barn which shows the calving symptoms.
Close up to Calf Cow Management Flow Chart
 Post calving Fresh-up animal protocol
1. Take rectal temperature on daily basis. If the temperature is more than 103° F,
check the cause of it and treat it.
2. Carefully observe the fresh up animal for:
● Uterine discharge or placenta,
● Quarters for mastitis.
● Manure for loose stools or diarrhea.
● Hydration status of cow by looking at the set of eyes and tenting skin on back
leg.
● Apparent lameness,
● Udder edema,
● Poor appetite,
● Milk fever
● Vaginal tears etc.
NORMAL ANIMAL
Behavior Cows stay in a group, alert, actively curious.
Eating Cows come up to the bunk when offered feed. Good appetite.
Comfort Standup eating, lying down resting, chewing cud.
Stance Stand squarely and stand for long periods of time.
Heart rate 70-80 beats per minute
Breathing rate 35-40 breaths per minute
Nose Wet
Skin pinch Skin flatten in no more than 1-2 seconds
Eyes Clear, no excessive tearing
Ears Warm
Temperature 102 – 103°F
Udder Normal color and texture, symmetrical, CMT 1 or less in all quarters.
Urine color Pale yellow
Urine pH Slightly alkaline, 7.4
Vagina Some discharge may be present, normally odorless
Feces No constipation or watery diarrhea
Movement Normal gait and motion

3. Move the healthier cows from maternity pens to regular pens and sick animals to
treatment pens.
4. Monitor the milk production and compare it with the feeding regime. With
increase of production of milk, regime should be changed according to animal’s
requirement recommended by NRC.
5. Offer high quality forages or TMR to Fresh animals. Moldy or poor quality feed
will decrease the feed intake and cause health issues.
6. Provide comfortable and well ventilated environment to freshly calved animals to
eat as much feed as possible
 Standard Operating Procedures

FRESH COW EXAM PROTOCOL

Fresh Cow Exam : (3 day – 7 day – 14 day)

Normal Temperature 38.5° - 39.5° C
Rumen 1-2 rolls per minute, good appetite, bright, normal uterine discharge, normal milk and manure

Temp < 38.5 (101F)

Possible causes: Temp> 39.5 (103F)
1. Clinical or subclinical milk fever
(Check daily)
Temperature Normal ∙ pupils large, round don’t Possible Causes:
Eating OK, Milking OK constrict with shining light 1. Metritis/Retained Placenta/Pyometra/
Normal Uterine Discharge ∙ Skin, ears cold Hydrometra
∙ Tail up, smell, discharge,
∙ Weak rising, standing
sunken eyes
2. Ketosis
∙ Do vaginal exam
∙ fat cows, weight loss
2. Mastitis - check udder
Continue Temperature ∙ Ketosis smell on breath 3. Peritonitis - tear at calving 4.
monitoring 3-7 days Fatty Liver
∙ Thick, dry manure, shiny ∙ obvious ketosis
ketosis mucus appearance on
outside clumps ∙ diarrhea
3. Toxic
∙ Mastitis #1
Lactation 1 Lactation ∙ Metritis #2
2+ (see specific treatment protocols)
cows Cows
(Prevention) Kaoline
(Prevention)
or Banamine

Treat with Treat with Not Sick Sick

1 Choice 1 Choice from Treat with 1 choice Treat with 1 Choice from
from Box 1 Box 1 & 2 from Box 1, 2 & 3 Box 1, 2, 3 & 4