1. ENERGY AND PROTEIN NUTRITION OF TRANSITION DAIRY COWS José Eduardo P
ENERGY AND PROTEIN NUTRITION OF TRANSITION DAIRY COWS José Eduardo P. Santos Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center School of Veterinary Medicine University of California - Davis

2. Grouping Dry Cows Dry period: Far off Close up
Several metabolic and endocrine changes taking place associated with different nutrient requirements
Parity
Primiparous
Multiparous
Social interaction, competition, and different nutrient requirements

3. 24 %
76 %

5. Four Major Tasks Must be Achieved During the Transition Period:
Adapt the rumen to a high energy diet
Rumen papillae and microflora
Minimize the degree of negative EB
Maintain normocalcemia
Reduce the degree of immunosuppression around parturition

7. Dietary Energy Concentration, Papillae Surface Area and Rate of VFA Absorption (Dirksen et al., 1985)

10. Adapted from Hayirili, 1998

11. Energy for Prepartum Cows

14. Correlation between individual week prepartum DMI and postpartum DMI
Putnam et al., (1997), Dann et al, 1999

15. Manipulation of Energy Content of the Diet
Utilize better quality forages
Ratio forage:concentrate
Increase the level of NFC in the diet
Supply a CHO source with greater rumen digestibility
Add fat to the diet

17. Interaction Between Parity and Prepartum Dietary Fat on DMI (Hayirli et al., 1999)

18. Interaction Between Concentration of Dietary Fat and NDF on Prepartum DMI (Hayirli et al., 1999)

20. Prepartum DMI
13.6 vs 14.6 kg DMI; P<0.12
x = 1.88%
SE = 0.06

21. Prepartum Treatment Effect on Milk Production
+1.90 kg milk
Pre P = 0.08

29. What about twin pregnancy and nutrient requirements?

30. Protein for Prepartum Cows
NRC (1989) may underestimate protein requirements of close-up cows (Goff and Horst, 1998; Van Saun and Sniffen, 1996; Van Saun et al., 1993).
Curtis et al. (1985) concluded that close-up cows receiving diets with more than 11% CP had less RFM and ketosis

31. Amino acid requirements for fetal growth and for synthesis of colostrum may deplete maternal protein reserves
Amino acids can be used as gluconeogenic precursors
Enhance complete oxidation of FA by the hepatic tissue
Reduce TG infiltration into the liver
Reduce ketogenesis

39. Nitrogen balance

42. Effect of Prepartum Dietary Protein Content on Lactation Performance of Dairy Cows (Santos et al., 2001)
TRT x Parity: P < 0.05

44. Recommendations 2 groups of dry cows: far off and a close up
Group primiparous separated from multiparous cows
Social interaction
Different nutrient requirements
Feed a more nutrient dense diet during the close up period
High quality forage (low K for close ups)
High NFC diet
Grain source of high rumen digestibility
Fat ?

45. 12% CP (35% RUP) prepartum seems adequate to multiparous cows
Primiparous cows should be fed diets with 14 to 15% CP
Consider using a high RUP source to increase CP and to raise RUP to 38 to 40% of the total CP
Avoid extreme nutritional changes during transition
Maximize DMI

47. Minerals and Vitamins Macro minerals*: Trace minerals*:
Ca, P, Mg, K, S, Na, and Cl
Trace minerals*:
Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Co, and I
Fat Soluble Vitamins*
A, D, and E
Water Soluble Vitamins (?)
Vitamins B (thiamin, biotin, niacin, etc)
Vitamin C