Dry Cow ration

[Judith]

What is your dry cow ration? The jersey will be on pasture but how much grain and hay should I give her. I would really like to avoid milk fever if I can. I asked my boss ( Holstein breeder who mocks all jerseys And he said "all jerseys get milk fever good luck with that, he said to just make sure I have the jugs of calcium on hand.... Opinions from the jersey people please We poke good fun at each other but he was pretty serious about the milk fever thing. I guess they had jerseys at one point and they fazed them out due to the milk fever being a constant issue. Although he said their SCC counts were way better than his Holsteins.

[Trisha in WA]

High producing Jerseys are prone to milk fever much more than the home cow that is generally not a high producer.
My dry cow ration is pasture and grass hay only. No grain or alfalfa. None! Then at calving I give my cow all the molasses water she wants to drink for the first day or so. I still keep a bottle of cal mag on hand just in case though. Milk fever is over diagnosed here, often that is not what is wrong. Seems to be a catch all for our vets...much like sand colic in horses is a catch all for a few horse vets around here too. (shrug)
Good luck and congratulations on the pending birth.

[BeeDaisyRabbit]

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences...n/nut00046.pdf

I'm scared to death of it, too. I have my cow on timothy/orchard grass/fescue hay, 5 lbs 14%(will upgrade to 16%), and in a 3/4 paddock. we have a 40-acre farm, but didn't want to risk all that fresh grass after reading the U of K article.

Best wishes to you, Judith. If anyone else has an opinion, please share. In no way do I claim to be an expert on milk cows!

[ozark_jewels]

When we dry our Jerseys off, we turn off grain completely and they get just pasture(grass/clover) in the warm months or hay(high quality grass is all the hay our home jerseys ever get, milking or dry) if it is in the winter months.

We start them back on a *little* grain the last two weeks of their pregnancy so they are accustomed to it before they freshen. Our girls just get a 12% beef feed for their milking ration.

In 20 years(2-4 cows at all times), we have had two cases of milk fever. Both were old cows. Both were saved with the quick application of CMPK injectable liquid. We had the vet out for the first one(I was 12 years old at the time), the second one we vetted ourselves.

We *always* have calcium tubes, injectable CMPK(better than just injectable calcium), and IV kits on hand. We have only had to use them those two times. We did have one Holstien out of the dairy herd get milk fever this past calving season. Also saved without having to get the vet out.

Always have supplies on hand. Its unlikely you will have to use them, but do be prepared.

I didn't have any idea that Jerseys were "supposed" to get milk fever until we got the internet about 7 years ago.

[Judith]

i have to laugh I work around the Holstein every day and yet with this little lady I seem to think she is made of glass! Sure is different when they are a "pet" as opposed to a milk machine. I will make sure I have the injectable on site just in case. What is molasses water? never heard of such a thing. The farm I work with calves out about 5 babies a week but i am really excited about Darla's babe! I just can't wait. And yup she comes from high production stock so I do need to be a bit more careful they will milk themselves to bare bones if you let them. i feel like a total newbie with this cow. kind of silly really Almost like Jersey arent bovines at all LOL

[BeeDaisyRabbit]

Ozark jewels: I know that your post helped me, I hope that it helped Judith, too. The guys at the co-op really want you to grain it to them. They even recommended a 18% protein feed! Most of us may be inexperienced, but we're trainable!

My neighbor puts out these buckets of MAG(?)for her Angus herd. She told me to go to the co-op and ask about it. It's what they do for their lovely black girls to keep them in balance.

I agree with Judith, what is molasses water,why and how do we make it and use it, etc?

And, Judith, I hope the best for your Darla-may it be a heifer!

[Trisha in WA]

Molasses water is just molasses mixed in warm water...about a cup per gallon more or less. Molasses is high in potassium and calcium and is readily absorbed...also a good source of energy right after calving when the cow doesn't feel like eating yet.

[ozark_jewels]

You can feed a higher protien ration, I choose not too. I got no difference in milk production when I was feeding 16% dairy ration than when I changed to 12% beef ration but the feed price was *very* different! I also think a lower protien feed is easier on their bodies in the long run.

[travlnusa]

Milk fever is not a result of a grain diet, it is a result of mineral intake.

A cow gets milk fever when the body's calicum demand exceeds that which is in the blood.

If you choose to, you can get a mineral with different salts in it. The salts trick the cows brain into stripping calcium off of her bones about 2 weeks before she freshens. Thus there is enough to meet demand when the calf hits the ground and milk production begins.

Your local feed store will (should) know what to sell you if you feel you will need it.

[BeeDaisyRabbit]

travlnusa, exactly. My concern about the grain, based on my limited reading, was that an overweight cow can also be susceptible to milk fever.

If I understand correctly, the grain is used to keep them in condition while higher protein forage, such as alfalfa or clover, is what triggers the imbalance after calving and should not be feed until after the cow delivers. It is then that the protein forages keeps up the cow's milk production.

Thanks for the bio-mechanics of the mineral block. A block is always out for my cow, but as a nerd, I like knowing the actual process it performs.

[travlnusa]

My personal opinion is in favor of loose mineral over blocks. A holstein cow needs 6-8 oz of minerals per day. Think how long it would take to lick that much off of a solid block.

Also, loose mineral can be mixed to meet your local needs based on other feeds and soil types.

[ozark_jewels]

Blocks are not enough. A good loose mineral is wayyyyyyy better for all animals.
I use a loose beef cattle mineral kept out at all times. I use Right Now Onyx. It is fed to my Jersey cows, horses, and goats.