Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Feeding and Management of Cows During Pregnancy
Cows are the foundation of a farm's development, and their importance to a farm cannot be overstated. During a cow's pregnancy, her nutritional needs must be met so that she can give birth to high-quality calves and recover quickly after calving. Below, Qinnong Net brings you the feeding and management techniques for cows during pregnancy. Let's take a look.
1. Feeding Management
After a cow becomes pregnant, the nutrients she takes in are not only for her own growth but also to meet the needs of embryonic growth and to prepare for lactation after calving, so good nutritional reserves must be built up. In early pregnancy, embryonic growth is relatively slow and the required nutrients should be of good quality, so at this time care should be taken not to let her become too fat; it is enough to reach the standard of the non-pregnant period. If she is fed too fat, it will cause abnormal embryonic development. By the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the growth and development rate of the embryo begins to accelerate continuously, especially in the last 2-3 months, when the amount fed needs to be increased to provide sufficient nutrients and ensure what is needed for embryonic growth and development. At this time, in addition to normal feeding, 1-2kg of concentrate feed should be added per cow per day, rationally matched according to the cow's actual condition, but overfeeding should be avoided, as it easily causes difficult calving in cows.
2. Do a Good Job of Protecting the Fetus
If feeding and management are improper during a cow's pregnancy, miscarriage is very likely to occur. Generally, in early pregnancy the signs before miscarriage are mucus flowing from the vagina, constantly looking back at the abdomen, and restlessness; while after early pregnancy the signs before miscarriage are swelling of the mammary glands and repeated postures for urination. Once miscarriage occurs, it will not only affect the future calving rate but also harm the cow's body. Therefore, to avoid this phenomenon, pregnant cows should be raised separately from other cattle, so as to avoid collisions caused by certain reasons that lead to miscarriage. In addition, the feed given must be fresh; do not feed deteriorated or moldy feed. The cow's amount of exercise should also be increased to strengthen her physique and avoid becoming too fat and experiencing difficult calving, but note that the amount of exercise should be controlled in the early stage of pregnancy.
3. Prevent Postpartum Paralysis
Postpartum paralysis in cows is a common phenomenon. It is caused by low blood calcium levels in the cow's body. Once paralysis occurs and is not treated in time, it is extremely harmful to the cow, and in severe cases causes death. Therefore, in order to prevent this phenomenon from occurring in cows after calving, preventive measures must be taken. The first thing to do is to reduce the proportion of rice straw in the feed of pregnant cows. According to actual breeding experience, feeding large amounts of rice straw during a cow's pregnancy can very easily lead to postpartum paralysis in cows. Then, in the late stage of pregnancy, appropriately increase feed rich in calcium and phosphorus substances to meet the cow's needs for them.
The above is the feeding and management techniques for cows during pregnancy brought to you by Qinnong Net. The introduction to the feeding and management of pregnant cows ends here. To learn more, please stay tuned to Qinnong Net.