Limit-Feeding a High-Energy Diet to Meet Energy Requirements in the Dry Period Alters Plasma Metabolite Concentrations but Does Not Affect Intake or Milk Production in Early Lactation

Abstract

Limit-feeding dry cows a high-energy diet may enable adequate energy intake to be sustained as parturition approaches, thus reducing the extent of negative energy balance after parturition. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of dry period feeding strategy on plasma concentrations of hormones and metabolites that reflect energy status. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 18) were dried off 45 d before expected parturition, paired by expected calving date, parity, and previous lactation milk yield, and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dry-period diets formulated to meet nutrient requirements at ad libitum or limited intakes. All cows were fed the same diet for ad libitum intake after parturition. Prepartum dry matter intake (DMI) for limit-fed cows was 9.4 kg/d vs. 13.7 kg/d for cows fed ad libitum. During the dry period, limit-fed cows consumed enough feed to meet calculated energy requirements, and ad libitum-fed cows were in positive calculated net energy for lactation (NE(L)) balance (0.02 vs. 6.37 Mcal/d, respectively). After parturition, milk yield, milk protein concentration, DMI, body condition score, and body weight were not affected by the prepartum treatments. Cows limit fed during the dry period had a less-negative calculated energy balance during wk 1 postpartum. Milk fat concentration and yield were greater for the ad libitum treatment during wk 1 but were lower in wk 2 and 3 postpartum. Plasma insulin and glucose concentrations decreased after calving. Plasma insulin concentration was greater in ad libitum-fed cows on d -2 relative to calving, but did not differ by dietary treatment at other times. Plasma glucose concentrations were lower before and after parturition for cows limit-fed during the dry period. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations peaked after parturition on d 1 and 4 for the limit-fed and ad libitum treatments, respectively, and were greater for limit-fed cows on d -18, -9, -5, and -2. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations did not differ by treatment in either the pre- or postpartum period, but tended to decrease after parturition. Apart from a reduction in body energy loss in the first week after calving, limit feeding a higher NE(L) diet during the dry period had little effect on intake and milk production during the first month of lactation.

Influence of energy and nutrient supply pre and post partum on performance of multiparous Simmental, Brown Swiss and Holstein cows in early lactation

“…Cows of the L PRE treatment had a relatively higher energy status compared with those of the low energy treatment in the Law et al (2011) study. The greater DMI depression of the H PRE cows of the present study is in agreement with the observations of others Winkelman et al, 2008;Janovick and Drackley, 2010) and supports the hypothesis of Rabelo et al (2003) that the drop in DMI as parturition approaches is greater the higher the energy intake is above requirements during the dry period. Although the energy levels were higher in that experiment, the difference in energy balance between the high and low energy density treatments of Rabelo et al (2003) was comparable to the difference of the current study (23.4 and 27.6 MJ NEL/ day, respectively).…”

Prepartum and postpartum nutritional management to optimize fertility in high-yielding dairy cows in confined TMR systems

“…Other research groups (Rukkwamsuk et al, 1998;Holcomb et al, 2001;Holtenius et al, 2003;Vickers et al, 2013) have reached similar conclusions about controlling energy intake during the dry period, although not all studies have shown benefits (Winkleman et al, 2008). Application of these principles can be through controlled limit-feeding of moderate energy diets or ad libitum feeding of high-bulk, low-energy rations (Janovick and Drackley, 2010;Janovick et al, 2011;Ji et al, 2012) as proposed by others (Beever, 2006).…”

The impact of cow nutrition in the dry period on colostrum quality and immune status of calves

“…Similarly Winkelman et al (2008) found no significant effect of a low energy diet in the dry period on calves' weight. Average daily weight gain from birth to 21d of life was significantly higher in the HE group when compared the LE group.…”

“…Dry cow nutrition may affect quality of colostrum (Dann et al 2006, Winkelman et al 2008. Colostrum produced by cows and the way of its application to calves during the first day of life are main factors determining the efficiency of colostrum immunoglobulin absorption, and therefore the level of calves' passive anti-infectious immunity (Godden et al 2009).…”

“…Shortening or omitting the dry period and new nutrition strategies have recently been widely discussed (Winkelman et al 2008, de Feu et al 2009). The traditional management practice includes a 5 week far-off period and 3-4 weeks of the close-up period (Hayirli et al 2002).…”