DRYING OFF COWS IN ROBOTS

Historically, abruptly discontinuing milking was the most common way to start the dry period. There were a few who milked the cow again a week later before administering dry treatment. Some milked once a day for a week. In tie stall barns we could take the concentrates away, and some even disabled the drinking cups. But frankly, drying off cows that milked 30 pounds per day was not that difficult. Times have changed. It is not uncommon for cows to finish their lactations at well over 60 pounds per day. In general, cows are more persistent in robots than in parlors so the challenge is even bigger. Research shows that higher production at dry off leads to more mastitis in the next lactation. Research also shows that a combination of reduced milking frequency and reduced nutrient density is the most effective way to reduce milk production at dry off. Robotic milking provides tools for both. Here are some tips for using those tools.

Want to read more?

Subscribe to cow-corner.co to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now