Key Technical Points for Feeding and Management of Dairy Cows in the Mid-to-Late Lactation Period

In the mid and late lactation periods, the milk yield of most dairy cows begins to gradually decline, with a decrease generally of 6-8%. At the same time, after the cow conceives, its nutritional requirements are somewhat lower than before,

In the mid lactation period, the dairy cow's feed intake reaches its peak, its appetite is good, and feed conversion efficiency is also relatively high. This characteristic should be seized upon by letting it eat more hay and appropriately supplementing with concentrate, so as to maintain milk yield and milk fat percentage at a relatively high level and minimize the extent of the decline. In the mid lactation period, the concentrate-to-roughage ratio of the daily ration can be controlled at 40-45:60-55.

In the late lactation period, the dairy cow's milk yield has already declined substantially. At this time it is relatively easy to feed, but this stage should be used to step up the recovery of the cow's body condition. It is generally believed that restoring body condition during this period is more economical and safer than during the dry period. This is because, from the perspective of feed energy conversion efficiency and the economic results of feeding, the organs of the lactating cow are still in a relatively strong state of activity at this time, and the overall efficiency of converting the metabolizable energy of feed into body tissue is higher than during the dry period. In addition, there is still milk production potential to be tapped, so dairy cows are rarely over-fattened, making this time more suitable for restoring body condition.

For first-pregnancy heifers (2-3 years old), their growth needs should also be considered. Generally, for a 2-year-old cow, various nutrients can be increased by 20% on the basis of maintenance requirements according to the feeding standard, and for a 3-year-old cow, increased by 10%.