Setting Goals

A cow with mastitis, bad feet or poor nutrition is in trouble even before her calf is born. That's why dry-cow management is so important, setting the stage for calving, future milk production, reproduction and profitability.

• Reduce the potential for clinical mastitis, including coliform mastitis, during the critical period of 70 days after calving


• Manage body condition and weight to prevent dry cow weight loss


• Maximize dry matter intake from the dry period through freshening and into lactation


• Body condition score of 3.0 to 3.5 at dry off and calving