Drying Off Cows in Automatic Milking Systems

Introduction

Drying off dairy cows is a critical step in the lactation cycle that can have long-term effects on udder health and future milk production. This article will explore the primary strategies for drying cows off in Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) 🔍. Broadly, dry-off strategies fall into two categories: abrupt or gradual.

Abrupt Dry-Off

In an abrupt dry-off, cows are milked normally right up until the dry-off date, with no intentional reduction in milk yield or milking frequency prior to dry off. This method is commonly used for its simplicity and because it avoids potential losses in milk income leading up to dry-off due to purposely decreasing milk production.

However, research suggests that abrupt dry-off can increase the risk of milk leakage after dry-off (1). Cows producing higher levels of milk at dry-off are especially vulnerable. For instance, cows yielding more than 28 pounds at dry-off have been shown to be at increased risk of mastitis and elevated SCS (somatic cell score) in the next lactation (2,3,4). After abrupt dry-off, cows also show signs of udder engorgement and maintain the desire to be milked (5).

Gradual Dry-Off

A gradual dry-off involves practices to purposefully reduce milk production leading up to dry-off. Reducing milk production can promote the formation of the keratin plug in the teat canal which serves as a defense against bacteria during the dry period (6). It can also help minimize milk leakage, reduce udder pressure, and lower the risk of new mastitis infections during the dry period and early lactation (2).

In AMS herds, two common strategies are used to facilitate gradual dry-off:

• Reduce Milking Frequency: By adjusting milking permission 🔍 settings in the AMS software, farmers can limit how often a cow is allowed to be milked. Fewer milkings naturally lowers daily milk yield (5,7).
• Reduce Concentrate Allotment: The AMS concentrate serves as a source of energy to the cow. Reducing the allotment of AMS concentrate 🔍 not only lowers energy intake and therefore milk production potential, it may also reduce her incentive to visit the robot, further lowering milking frequency.

A research study showed that both strategies were effective in reducing milk yield in late-lactation cows managed with AMS (8). However, reducing milking permissions had a greater impact than adjusting concentrate on both milk yield and milking frequency.

The most significant impact was when these two strategies were combined. In the experiment, cows with reduced concentrate allowance and milking permissions decreased milk production by 10.8 lb per day while those with no change only decreased milk production by 6.2 lb/d (8).

Follow Best Practices at Dry-Off

Regardless of dry-off strategy, it is important that farms always follow proper application practices when administering intramammary treatments, such as internal teat sealants or antibiotic treatments. A clearly defined dry-off protocol helps ensure consistent management across the herd. Additionally, farms should select a location to dry-off cows that is both safe and hygienic, such as within the AMS or a chute.