Late Lactation/ Dry Period - Identify at risk cows
- Focus now on achieving BCS targets. Meeting targets will simplify management of the transition cow pre- and post-calving.
- Although average BCS values for the herd are useful, it is important to identify individual cows that are at, above, or below target.
- Cows need to be dried off in sufficient time to reach BCS targets before calving.
- Don’t wait until the last month pre-calving to gain BCS. Cows gain very little condition (even when feed generously) in the last month before calving because the energy requirements for maintenance and pregnancy are so high.
Transition Period Pre-calving – Feeding
Once BCS is determined pre-calving, cows that are at, above or below targets can be managed differentially according to their BCS.


Transition Period - Post calving
During the colostrum period, cows should be offered unrestricted access to good quality pasture or supplements. These animals should be considered the top priority when it comes to allocating feed to different mobs. If cows are removed from high sugar or starch feeds (e.g. fodder beet) during the colostrum period, they will require re-transitioning if they are to continue eating this feed through early lactation.
Should I feed straw to my springers?
Straw can be used to reduce the energy content of the diet; however, it provides no nutritional benefits, unless the diet is high in sugar or starches.
Can you prevent BCS loss immediately post calving?
To adapt to the negative energy balance immediately post-calving, and provide the necessary energy for milk production, the cow mobilises large amounts of body tissue (primarily fat, with smaller amounts of protein), which results in a loss of BCS.
Little can be done in the first few weeks post-calving to alter this BCS loss. Increasing a cow’s energy intake will simply increase milk production rather than reduce BCS loss during this time. The primary regulators of the performance of the transition and early lactating dairy cow are BCS at calving, and nutrition management pre-calving.
For more information see Technote 12 – Feed the transition cow appropriately.