Evaluation of customized dry-period strategies in dairy cows

Shortening or omitting the dry period to improve energy balance in early lactation have trade-offs of reduction milk production and loss opportunity for dry-cow therapy (DCT; i.e., intramammary antibiotic use at dry-off). Customized dry-period strategies (i.e., deciding upon DCT length per cow) could mitigate negative effects short no periods on udder health simultaneously retain benefits from improved fertility. In this study, we evaluated 3 decision trees customize individual cows. control tree (CT), all cows had a 60-d period, with if somatic cell count (SCC) was >150,000 cells/mL before dry-off. 1 (T1), parity >1 were assigned SCC ?150,000 ?50,000 cells/mL, respectively; whereas 2 (T2), threshold ?200,000 animals. T1 T2, without 30-d 0-d their remained >12 kg/d 67 37 d calving, respectively. Cows monitored 8 wk 14 after calving. Milk composition, SCC, body condition score, weight, occurrence treatment disease (related calving start lactation) compared between CT (n = 61 cows), 59 T2 63 cows). Effects (CT, T1, T2) (60-d antibiotics, dry, dry) measured variables analyzed separately mixed models, udder-health status logistic regression, diseases Pearson chi-squared test. 36% qualified 2% periods, 51% 30% Compared CT, average produced more (0.2 vs. 3.9 7.1 T2), less (40.0 37.0 35.2 T2). There difference transition among trees. first recovery weight greater than T1. Overall, reduced revenues, but might be financially compensated by cow customized strategies.