| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Department of Dairy Science University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
Corresponding author: R. R. Grummer; e-mail: rgrummer{at}facstaff.wisc.edu.
Possible advantages of reducing length of dry period include increased income from milk production, simplified dry cow management, decreased metabolic disorders, and alleviation of overcrowded dry cow facilities. There is abundant data to support a 60-d dry period to maximize milk yield the next lactation. The great majority of data is from studies using farm records (e.g., DHI data). In these data sets, cows with less than 6- to 8-wk dry periods probably were not intended to have short dry periods and consequently were not managed for short dry periods. Additionally, recommendations from observational data may be biased due to interactions, e.g., between milk yield and length of dry period. Some experiments specifically designed to compare 30- and 60-d dry periods indicate that shorter dry periods are possible without sacrificing milk production the next lactation. There is a paucity of data to determine the effects of shortening the dry period on milk composition, metabolic disorders, and reproductive performance. The limited amount of information that is available indicates that shortening the dry period will probably not have negative effects on these parameters and may have slight beneficial effects. In some cases, the beneficial effects may have resulted, in part, due to negative effects on milk production. Cows with longer calving intervals and older cows may be more likely to avoid negative effects of shortening dry periods on subsequent milk yield. Shortening the dry period by initiating milking after a dry period but prior to parturition does not increase milk yield or improve animal health sufficiently to warrant consideration. Several studies indicated complete elimination of the dry period results in a 20 to 25% decrease in milk yield the following lactation. However, these studies have utilized low cow numbers and cows with extremely low milk production. As milk yield and persistency of lactation increases, either through genetic selection or administration of exogenous agents such as bST, the likelihood of successfully shortening or eliminating the dry period should increase. Future studies to increase our knowledge of factors affecting mammary epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis should yield strategies to reduce the length or completely eliminate the dry period.
Key Words: dry period length • milk yield • animal health • reproduction
Abbreviation key: DP = dry period, EB = energy balance
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  T. H. Klusmeyer, A. C. Fitzgerald, A. C. Fabellar, J. M. Ballam, R. A. Cady, and J. L. Vicini Effect of recombinant bovine somatotropin and a shortened or no dry period on the performance of lactating dairy cows J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2009; 92(11): 5503 - 5511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Velasco, E. D. Reid, K. K. Fried, T. F. Gressley, R. L. Wallace, and G. E. Dahl Short-Day Photoperiod Increases Milk Yield in Cows with a Reduced Dry Period Length J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2008; 91(9): 3467 - 3473. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Pezeshki, J. Mehrzad, G. R. Ghorbani, H. R. Rahmani, R. J. Collier, and C. Burvenich Effects of Short Dry Periods on Performance and Metabolic Status in Holstein Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2007; 90(12): 5531 - 5541. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Caja, A. A. K. Salama, and X. Such Omitting the dry-off period negatively affects colostrum and milk yield in dairy goats. J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2006; 89(11): 4220 - 4228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. H. Weng, C. J. Chang, W. Y. Chen, W. K. Chou, H. C. Peh, M. C. Huang, M. T. Chen, and H. Nagahata Contribution of somatic cell-associated activation of plasminogen to caseinolysis within the goat mammary gland. J Dairy Sci, June 1, 2006; 89(6): 2025 - 2037. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. T. Kuhn, J. L. Hutchison, and H. D. Norman Dry Period Length to Maximize Production Across Adjacent Lactations and Lifetime Production J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2006; 89(5): 1713 - 1722. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. S. Gulay, M. J. Hayen, H. H. Head, C. J. Wilcox, and K. C. Bachman Milk Production from Holstein Half Udders After Concurrent Thirty- and Seventy-Day Dry Periods J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2005; 88(11): 3953 - 3962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. de Vries and C. A. Risco Trends and Seasonality of Reproductive Performance in Florida and Georgia Dairy Herds from 1976 to 2002 J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2005; 88(9): 3155 - 3165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. T. Kuhn and J. L. Hutchison Methodology for Estimation of Days Dry Effects J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2005; 88(4): 1499 - 1508. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
