Transition Cow

Successful Transition Cow Support With LIRA GOLD

Dairy cow transition management is important to ensure a smooth transition from her dry period, through calving and into full milk production.  This time period occurs up to 60 days pre-freshening through 30 days after calving.

Properly managing the transition dairy cow can have a positive impact on health, productivity, reproduction and the long-term profitability of the herd.

During this time period it is important to monitor cows frequently to be able to take action for any health or nutritional issues that occur or can be prevented.  This provides the opportunity to initiate protocols for feed nutrition or individual supplementation to maintain a normal, healthy transition.

A Key Step Is To Manage Increased Caloric Needs & Minimize Negative Energy Balance

Total nutrient requirements change in the transition cow as she needs to support the growing calf inside, produce colostrum post-freshening and to produce milk.

Within two days of a dairy cow calving, her energy requirements can more than double.  This increased energy demand can lead to a high level of metabolic stress that can impact her health, milk production, reproductive efficiency and in the worst-case scenario, result in culling.

During this time it is important to provide support for maintaining and/or increasing DMI (dry matter intake) to help during this transition phase.

Supporting Calcium Needs In The Post-Fresh Dairy Cow

In addition, as the dairy cow transitions to milk production, it is important to monitor calcium needs due to increased demand, which can be almost double, from her body. 

Dairy cows mainly pull calcium from their long bones with additional absorbed through the rumen.  This is triggered when blood calcium levels decrease, as in after calving.  Pulling calcium from the bones requires release of Parathyroid hormone and Vitamin D3 is necessary to stimulate the rumen to absorb additional calcium from feed or supplements.

It is important to monitor dairy cows for signs of calcium deficiency that can lead to milk fever and act quickly to provide the added calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin D she needs.

How Can LIRA GOLD Supplements Help?

LIRA GOLD has formulated products that help support proper transition cow management throughout the 90-day window the dairy cow is transitioning from dry period through calving and into full milk production.

From supporting proper digestion to increasing DMI (dry matter intake) and having a broad-based fresh cow protocol designed to get through metabolic stress, LIRA GOLD has the products that can help you successfully navigate transition and maintain healthy, highly productive cows.

The LIRA GOLD products on this page, including E-X-T with an appetite stimulant, can help manage throughout the dairy cow’s transition period so she can produce her best.