How to ensure successful dry cow transition

Join AHDB and Farming Connect to learn about how to ensure a successful transition from dry cow to milking cow with nutritionist Anwen Jones, farm vet Sian Dyer and strategic dairy farm host Richard Twose and Family.

76% of our national herd experience some sort of transition issue, and these cows probably never reach their true peak yield. What is stopping cows achieving their peak yield?

• Milk fevers – UK average 6% clinical milk fever
• Retained foetal membrane – 9% average
• LDA – 4.5% average
• Ketosis – 12% clinical average, up to 60% 

Diet and feed intake are key factors affecting the success of dry cow transition. With huge implications for fertility and milk yield in the following lactation, hear from nutritionist Anwen Jones how to ensure successful transition.

During this event you will learn more about:

• How to successfully move from 115 MJ/day energy intake to 300 MJ/day
• Ensure the correct mineral and trace element balances to avoid metabolic diseases.
• Providing silage which matches the specific requirements of the dry cow.

About the farm:

A traditional family farm, Maenhir sits on the Carmarthenshire / Pembrokeshire border and is owned and operated by the Twose family. Bought by the Twose family in 1975, Maenhir originally consisted of just 120 acres. Today the farm has expanded to 600 acres, with a further 100 rented, which supports their herd of 400 pedigree Holsteins and a number of smaller enterprises run by the family.

Maenhir operates an all year-round calving herd, with an autumn weighting.  The herd are achieving an average yield of over 9000 litres with 3.39% protein and 4.12% butter fat. Sexed semen is used for all replacements with the rest of the herd put to beef. They have achieved excellent conception rates with their heifers and have an average age of first calving between 22–24 months.

About the speakers:

Anwen Jones began her career with BOCM Pauls before moving to Keenan, where the passion grew in ruminant nutrition and formulating diets for over 120 herds in Wales. 

More recently she has worked for a major feed supplier as Dairy Development Manager, working with progressive dairy systems, with a strong focus on nutrition, production and cow welfare.  A particular focus has been the role of nutrition by concentrating on transition cow management, rumen efficiency and looking at ways to improve cow husbandry. Now she works with farmers, distributors and feed mills, providing technical support and training.

Sian Dyer BVSc CertAVP(Cattle) MRCVS is a mixed animal vet that qualified from the University of Bristol in 2007.  She has since gained a certificate in advanced veterinary practice in cattle from Liverpool University.  Sian grew up on a farm and is fluent Welsh speaker and has a keen interest in dairy cow and youngstock health. Her young family keep her busy but if time allows she enjoys running and cycling.