30/08/2025
INCALF COW FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
The aim of feeding the pregnant cow is to:
· Get the cow into good condition at calving
· Produce a good calf and
· Have reserves to produce milk during early lactation.
If pregnant animals are underfed, they will be in poor body condition when they give
birth and begin lactating. Milk production will be significantly reduced. They will also be slow to start cycling again. Underfed animals may also give birth to light weight and/ or weak offspring.
Overfeeding pregnant animals can also cause undesirable outcomes:
(1) Dams may have fat deposits and poor muscle condition that interfere with
giving birth.
(2) Over conditioning also puts animals at risk of pregnancy ketosis and/or fatty
liver syndrome.
(3) Fat young stock may have reduced milk production due to the deposition of
fat in the udder.
The dry, pregnant cow should be fed with good quality roughage such as good pasture,
grass, and good hay or Napier grass. During the eighth month of pregnancy, the cow
should be fed as if she was producing 5 kg of milk and towards the time of calving, as if
she was producing 10 kg of milk. During the eighth month, the cow can be maintained
on good pasture or good Napier grass. On poor pasture/Napier grass, 2 kg concentrate
(e.g. 50% dairy meal +50% wheat bran) is necessary. During the last month of pregnancy
the cow should get 2 kg concentrate with good quality roughage and 4 kg concentrate
with poor quality roughage. Remember that salt and other minerals are needed. The
feeds fed during the dry period should be the same as those fed during early lactation. A
poor nutritional program during the pregnancy/transition period decreases reproductive
efficiency and increases incidences of metabolic disorders.
Dry matter intake of the dry pregnant cow varies according to age, pregnancy status and
time relative to calving. A substantial decline in intake occurs within the last 2–3 weeks of
gestation for all age and pregnancy status groups supporting the need for a two-diet dry
cow program. Concentrates fed to a drying cow should be stopped followed by stopping
milking. It should not require any concentrates until she is “steamed up” two weeks
before calving.
STEAMING RATIONS
Concentrates
a. Type
Dairy cubes, dairy meals, maize germ, bran (wheat, rice or maize), cotton seed cake sunflower cake, Soya bean cake etc.(ANY OF THEM)
b. Time of feeding
For steaming up cows and heifers concentrates are given daily for 2 months before calving.
d. Quantities
2 kg /day /cow during steaming up and up to 4kg /cow /day for in calf heifers during steaming up.
Note: Steaming up
This is extra feed of high quality concentrates (preferably compounded), which is given to in-calf cows and heifers at 2-4 kg per cow per day for two months before calving. However, it can be more or less depending on the condition of the animal. Growing heifers will need more.
Minerals
a. Types
For heifers and dry cows maclic plus can be used
b. Quantity
Each animal should consume 80 to 100gm per day of maclic, super or plus
c. Method
Granular mineral products should be mixed with feeds in a feeding trough while free lick should be allowed if it is in the form of a solid block.
Observation is the key though. If the animal is not in good condition it
should receive improved fodder, concentrates, and minerals during her dry period to
enable her to give birth to a strong healthy calf, withstand post-calving problems and
have reserves to enable her to produce higher milk yield. The dry cow should not gain excessive body weight. Cows that become
too fat are more likely to have problems at calving time and over-feeding dry cows is
wasteful and does not make economic sense.
Transition cows should not have to walk long distances to obtain water. Water is the most
important nutrient. Watering devices must be kept clean.
A dry period of approximately
60 days between lactations is essential for fair milk production. In short, the dry period
is the time from the end of lactation until the cow calves again. Many farmers have a
tendency to neglect their cows during the dry period. The cow should be dried off about
two months before the expected calving date.
The reasons for drying off are:
· The nutrient requirement of the feotus are high during the last months of
gestation
· To replenish body with nutrients depleted during lactation and good body
condition at calving.
· To repair and regenerate the alveolar system, the milk secretor cell.
· To gain new stimulation for following lactation as a result of parturition
· To produce colostrum, this is indispensable for the calf during the first days
after calving.
If the cow does not have optimum dry period between lactations its subsequent milk yield
will be reduced. The dry period allows the udder to rest and the cow to become strong
again, to build up a body reserve ready for the next lactation. During the dry period the
cow udder gets the opportunity to recover after the lactation period. If the cow is not
allowed this rest period the next lactation could result in a loss of at least 30% in milk
production. It is estimated that the calf (foetus) gains 60% of its birth weight during the
last six (6) weeks before calving.
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