DRY COW
MANAGEMENT
• Drying off cows
• Body condition score at dry off
• Parasite control at housing
Dry Cow Management
Drying off cows
The purpose of the dry cow period at the end of lactation
is to allow a period of rest before the start of the next lactation
after calving. The udder tissue will particularly benefit from this
rest period to allow for the milk producing tissue to repair and
rejuvenate, so that good volumes of the highest quality milk can
be produced again in the next lactation.
When to dry off? Factors to consider:
• Calving date – cows should get a minimum dry period of two
months before the next lactation
• Withhold period of anthelmintic or dry cow antibiotic treatment
• Low volume – dry off cows as soon as their daily milk production
drops to 9L
An extended dry period should be considered for:
• High SCC cows – dry off early to improve mastitis cure rates
(>9 weeks)
• Low Body Condition Score cows – especially first calvers
See opposite page for further information on dry cow feeding.
Which products should be used at dry-off?
Dry cow therapy (DCT) consists of intramammary antibiotic tubes Drying-off tips:
and / or internal teat sealer.
The purpose of DCT is to:
• Dry off cows abruptly, as soon as
1. Eliminate existing udder infections at the end of lactation production reaches 9 litres per day.
2. Prevent new infections over the dry period • Dry off cows in small batches (e.g.
Use the GII Milk Culturing Service to identify the most effective one row of the parlour at a time).
antibiotics for your herd.
• Don’t dry off cows on an empty
stomach, have some breakfast first!
Drying-off routine • Don’t leave cows in roadways or
yards after drying off, leave in an
The aim of antibiotic DCT is to cure infections in the udder, but if area that is clean for lying on.
not carried out hygienically, tubing cows can introduce bacteria into
the udder. 60% of mastitis cases in early lactation are caused by
infections that occurred at dry-off or during the dry period.
It is very easy to introduce bacteria into the udder at drying-off if the
teats are not disinfected AND sterilised.
It pays to implement the correct drying-off procedure:
1. During milking, mark and draft out the group of cows to be dried off.
2. Finish milking, clean out the parlour and organise tubes plus
disinfection / sterilising equipment.
3. Use a new pair of gloves and keep them clean while drying off cows.
4. Mark the cows again with a different colour to indicate that they are
now being treated; it is important to do this before they are treated.
5. Disinfect the teats with teat dip or spray and then wipe off.
6. Then sterilise the teat ends with cotton wool and meths, or
medicated wipes.
7. Administer the antibiotic tube and massage into the udder.
8. When inserting the sealer, pinch the base of the teat so that the sealer
remains in the teat canal and do not massage up into the udder.
9. Record the treatment details: animal numbers, date, product used
and withholding time.
Selective Dry Cow Therapy (DCT)
Selective DCT is only suitable for herds where:
BLANKET DCT:
This is when all quarters of all cows are treated • Bulk tank SCC is less than 200,000
with antibiotic. cells / ml all year.
• At least four milk recording results are available.
SELECTIVE DCT:
• Milk culturing tests have been carried out.
This is when only selected cows, i.e. those with
infected quarters, are treated with antibiotic. • Clinical cases of mastitis have been recorded.
• Mastitis is under control in the herd.
Otherwise, use blanket DCT
Antimicrobial Resistance
Selective DCT is only suitable for cows where:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing problem in
animal and human medicine. This resistance in bacteria is • Individual SCC <200,000 for the last 3
leading to antibiotic treatments becoming less effective at milk recordings.
treating infections. Reduced and responsible use of antibiotics • No clinical cases of mastitis detected
will slow the development of AMR.
this lactation.
The main purpose of antibiotic treatment at dry-off is to Hygiene at drying-off is even more important
eliminate any existing udder infections at the end of lactation. if the cow is being given sealer only, with no
Cows that have not had a mastitis infection during this lactation, antibiotic tube.
and have had continuous low SCC results from milk recording
records, may not need antibiotic treatment at dry-off. Selective DCT can be very successful, but only
if the cows are chosen correctly and sealer
applied hygienically.
Getting cow condition LENGTH OF DRY PERIOD
8 weeks 10 weeks 12 weeks
right at calving Expected Dry off Dry off Dry off
calving date date date date
During the dry period the cow’s diet must be managed Feb 1 Nov 30 Nov 16 Nov 2
to ensure she calves down and begins the next
Feb 8 Dec 7 Nov 23 Nov 9
lactation in the correct Body Condition Score (BCS).
Feb 15 Dec 14 Nov 30 Nov 16
If the cow is too fat or too thin at calving, subsequent
milk production and fertility will suffer. Feb 22 Dec 21 Dec 7 Nov 23
Mar 1 Dec 28 Dec 14 Nov 30
Nutrition-related problems around calving such as milk
fever and retained cleanings can also have significant Thin cows or high SCC cows need a longer dry period
effects on subsequent production in the herd. to prepare for the next lactation.
Ensure cows are in the correct Silage BCS 2.5 BCS 2.75 BCS >3.0
Body Condition Score at calving: DMD (12-14 weeks dry) (8-10 weeks dry) (8 weeks dry)
• Cows should be dried off at BCS 3.0-3.25, which Silage Silage Silage
>72
is the condition in which they should calve down. +1kg meals ad-lib Restricted
• Where there is variation in the herd, batch cows Silage Silage Silage
68-72
according to body condition score and feed accordingly. +2kg meals +1kg meals ad-lib
Silage Silage Silage
64-68
Body condition score at calving +3kg meals +2kg meals +1kg meals
2.5 2.75 3.0 3.25 3.5 3.75 4.0 For example, if cows have a body condition score of 2.5
at drying-off, they should be dry for 12-14 weeks. If silage
quality is 68-72 DMD, they should be offered silage ad lib
Optimal and 2kg of a low-protein concentrate.
Source: Teagasc Dairy Manual
Low milk yield Milk fever
Anoestrus Ketosis
Dry Cow Management
Parasite control at housing
Housing provides an opportunity for parasite control in cattle. The main targets
for parasite control at this time of year are gutworms, lungworm and liver fluke.
Cattle only pick up these parasites when grazing. Therefore, once housed, cattle
will no longer pick up new fluke or worm parasites. This means that effective parasite
treatments at or after housing will keep the animals free of worms and liver fluke
until they return to pasture the next year.
Liver fluke Worms Lice
Of all the parasites affecting cattle in Due to the mild and damp Irish While lice live on animals all year
Ireland, liver fluke has been shown to climate, cattle of all ages get exposed round, their numbers rapidly multiply
have the biggest effect on milking cow to worms throughout the grazing during the housed period. The lice
performance: milk volume & solids, season. Stomach worms are present feed on blood or skin from the animal,
body condition, immunity and fertility on most Irish farms and the Ostertagia but more importantly cause severe
are all affected by the parasite. results from the GII Herd Disease irritation that reduces feed intakes.
Exposure of dairy cows to liver fluke Screening Service confirm this. To control the problem, it is key
at grazing is best monitored by bulk These worms damage the lining of the that treatments are used early in the
milk tests for liver fluke antibody levels. animal’s gut, so that nutrient uptake housed period, before lice numbers
All spring calving herds at risk of liver is reduced. In addition, they reduce increase to an uncontrollable level.
fluke should be treated at or shortly voluntary feed intake by animals, If an ivermectin product is used at
after housing. so that milk production and daily housing, lice will be controlled for 2-3
liveweight gains are further affected. weeks. Follow this up with lice specific
As well as clearing the worm burden treatment product after three weeks.
from animals for the winter period, a All animals in the shed should be
treatment at housing will also reduce treated on the same day.
the carryover of worms onto pasture Rumen fluke
next year.
While many herds in Ireland have
It is important that young cattle in some level of rumen fluke infection,
particular are clear of lungworm in most herds this is of no significance
and have healthy lungs over winter. to animal health or production. A
Lungworm can increase cattle’s positive result for rumen fluke eggs in
susceptibility to pneumonia after dung samples is not an indication for
housing. Products that treat gutworms treatment with oxyclosanide, which will
will also be active against lungworm. often make animals unnecessarily sick.
FLUKE WITHDRAWAL TIMES*
ACTIVE SAMPLE GUTWORMS
LICE
INGREDIENT TRADE NAMES & LUNGWORM
MATURE IMMATURE MILK MEAT
Tribex,
Triclabendazole** Yes Yes No No 35-45 days 56d
Fasinex 240
Noromectin,
Ivermectin*** No No Yes Yes 60 days 15-60d
Mastermectin
Eprinomectin Eprinex, Eprizero No No Yes Yes Zero days 10-63d
Albendazole**** Albex, Valbazen Yes No Yes No 60-72 hours 14d
Moxidectin Cydectin Pour-on No No Yes Yes 6 days 14d
Deltamethrin Spot On No No No Yes Zero days 17d
Cypermethrin Renegade No No No Yes Zero days 10-14d
Record and observe all animal treatments for meat and milk withhold
times where relevant.
* Withdrawal times are subject to change. Always read the product label.
** A single treatment shortly after housing should clear liver fluke infections without
a follow-up treatment being required.
*** Ivermectin products may be used in dry cows and dairy heifers if they are more
than 60 days from calving. They cannot be used in animals currently producing milk.
**** A follow-up treatment 6-8 weeks after the initial treatment may be required for
complete clearance of all liver fluke.
