Kathryn Thompson :: Saturday 12th October 2024 :: Latest Blog Posts

Winter Feeding Tips for Dairy Cows: Sustaining Milk Production and Health

Winter brings unique nutritional challenges for dairy cows, as colder temperatures increase their energy requirements and changes in forage quality can impact milk production and overall health. Additionally, the shift from pasture to indoor feeding means cows need balanced, high-energy diets to sustain milk yields, and ensuring proper hydration can be more difficult in cold conditions.

Let's explore key strategies to keep your herd healthy and productive throughout winter. We'll focus on the importance of providing high-energy forage to maintain milk production, effective management and nutrition for dry cows, and ensuring cows stay hydrated during the colder months. By addressing these areas, you can help your dairy cows thrive through winter and be ready for the upcoming lactation period.

High-Energy Forage to Maintain Milk Production

During the winter months, providing high-energy forage is essential to maintaining milk production in dairy cows. Cold weather increases cows' energy needs, as they require additional calories to stay warm, and the lack of fresh pasture means that their nutrition must come from stored forage. The quality and energy density of this forage directly impacts a cow's ability to sustain milk yields throughout the winter.

Forage types like silage, haylage and maize silage are particularly effective in providing the energy dairy cows need. Grass silage is normally the most cost-effective and most abundant forage available. Maize silage and whole crop cereal silage are also commonly used, often in combination with grass silage, to help stretch out stocks of grass silage. Maize silage is a highly digestible, energy-rich feed that helps support milk production, while grass silage and haylage, if harvested and stored correctly, can provide valuable fibre and energy. In addition, supplementing forage with high-energy concentrates can further support cows during times of increased energy demand.

To ensure that forage maintains its nutritional value through the winter, proper storage is critical. For silage, airtight conditions are necessary to prevent spoilage and retain energy levels. Using well-sealed clamps or silage bags can prevent exposure to air, which degrades the quality of the forage. Similarly, haylage should be stored in a dry environment to avoid mould growth, which can reduce feed intake and lead to health issues.

By offering cows high-energy forage, and storing it carefully to preserve its quality, you can help ensure their nutritional needs are met, allowing them to sustain milk production even in the coldest conditions.

Forage replacers are also available if forage stocks are low; the key point is to ensure cows receive enough fibre to maintain a healthy rumen. Forage replacers include: distillers or brewers grain, sugar beet pulp, soya hulls or wheat feed. Long chop fibre (i.e. from forages) should still make up 25-40% of the total DMI.

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Dry Cow Management and Nutrition

The transition period for dairy cows is generally defined as the last 3 weeks of pregnancy and the first 3 weeks of lactation. During this phase, rapid foetal growth occurs, along with mammary gland growth and colostrum synthesis, all of which draws on energy and protein requirements; however, at the same time, dry matter intake capacity of the cows is lowered. 

Managing the nutrition of dry cows during the winter is crucial for ensuring they are in optimal condition for the next lactation period. The dry period allows cows to recover from the previous lactation and build up the necessary energy reserves and immune function for calving and milk production. Proper nutrition during this stage is essential for the health of the cow, as well as for ensuring a smooth transition back to lactation.

Dry cows have specific nutritional needs that differ from lactating cows. Their rations should focus on maintaining body condition without encouraging excessive weight gain, as overweight cows are more prone to metabolic disorders during calving. Providing balanced rations that include high-quality forages, such as grass silage or hay, is key. It is also important to limit energy-dense feeds, such as maize silage, and instead prioritise controlled energy diets that prevent over-conditioning. Straw is also used as forage, especially in dry cows, as it helps cows to maintain but not gain condition and allows them to still fill up on fibre.

In addition to maintaining energy levels, ensuring dry cows receive the right levels of protein, minerals and vitamins is essential for supporting immune function. Key minerals such as magnesium and calcium play a role in preparing cows for calving and preventing disorders like milk fever. Supplementation with vitamins, particularly vitamin E and selenium, can help boost immune function and promote healthy calving outcomes.

Hydration and Water Access in Cold Conditions

Maintaining proper hydration in dairy cows is often overlooked during winter, but it is just as important as their nutrition. Despite colder weather, cows still require large quantities of water to support milk production and general health. Dehydration can lead to reduced feed intake, decreased milk yields and other health issues, making it essential to ensure water access remains consistent and reliable, even in freezing conditions.

Troughs and water bowls can freeze over, limiting cows' access to water. Investing in heated water troughs or using tank heaters can prevent freezing and ensure cows always have access to fresh water. Try using large water troughs as a larger volume of water takes longer to freeze, using dark-coloured water troughs in a sunny location can also reduce freezing. Covering a part of the water trough, or insulating pipes with straw or foam insulation or putting something like a floating ball in the trough to keep the water moving and ensure it takes longer to freeze. 

Alternatively, regularly breaking ice and checking water levels throughout the day can help maintain water access for herds in areas where heating equipment is not practical.

Monitoring water intake is equally important during cold weather. Cows may drink less when temperatures drop, so it's essential to regularly check for signs of reduced hydration. One way to encourage water consumption is by ensuring the water is clean and at a palatable temperature, as cows prefer slightly warmer water in winter. Additionally, ensuring that water sources are easily accessible from feeding areas will help cows meet their hydration needs without expending too much energy moving around.

By keeping water accessible, monitoring intake and maintaining water sources, farmers can prevent dehydration and support the health and productivity of their dairy cows through the winter.

Maintaining Dairy Cow Health Through Winter Nutrition

Successfully managing winter feeding for dairy cows involves focusing on three key strategies: providing high-energy forage to sustain milk production, implementing effective dry cow management to prepare for the next lactation, and ensuring cows stay hydrated even in cold conditions. By prioritising these areas, farmers can support both the health and productivity of their herds throughout the challenging winter months.

Proactive winter nutrition not only maintains milk yields but also improves overall herd health, making the transition into spring and calving smoother. Proper nutrition during this time reduces the risk of metabolic issues, promotes immune function and ensures cows are in the best possible condition for calving and the next lactation.

For tailored nutritional advice and feed solutions to optimise your dairy herd's performance this winter, contact B&W Feeds. Our expert team can provide custom feed plans and on-farm support to ensure your cows receive the nutrients they need to thrive.