Feeding your cows properly to ensure a smooth transition from the dry period to full lactation feed continues to frustrate most dairymen. There are many different transition programs used across the country.
Some herds use anionic salts to avoid milk fevers.
Some herds have no prefresh program as well as many herds do not have a separate postfresh ration, or bred heifers may even be in the far-off dry cow group. When dealing with all these variations, your nutritionist has to balance your cows needs against your personal farm systems. The more cows eat before they freshen the more they eat after they freshen. This simple concept will drive all the decisions you make about maximizing production from your cows during and after the freshening period. Adapting the rumen to high energy rations fed during lactation.