DAIRYCompanion post · 1 min read
Nutrition around calving
Calving changes intake, glucose and calcium demand, immune activity, liver workload, and mammary development. This post explains why nutritional priorities shift across the dry period and early lactation.
The period around calving brings rapid changes in intake, nutrient demand, immunity, and mammary activity. The discussion considers why nutrition plans should follow the physiology of the dry period, close-up period, and early lactation rather than rely on one universal ration. Monitoring feed intake, body condition, health events, milk components, and mineral status can help teams identify where support is needed. Interpretation depends on herd context, forage, management, and the indicators being monitored.
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