$75k loss — hiding in plain sight in your down cows

May 14, 2025

The Hidden Cost of Metabolic Issues Starts Before Calving — It Starts Now.

 You can’t always see it. But by the time milk fever, ketosis or a slow start to lactation show up…  …you’ve already paid the price.

Metabolic issues cost the average Kiwi dairy farm roughly $75,000 a season — and most of that damage is done before calving. It’s cemented during the dry period and transition.

We’re not pointing fingers. We know dry cow and transition management can seem overwhelming — it happens at the busiest time of year, across multiple mobs, in cold conditions, and when you’re knackered.

But if there’s one thing we know from the latest research — it’s this:  

Inflammation is the match.

Poor nutrition is the fuel.

And stress is the accelerant. 

Put them together, and you’ve got a metabolic fire waiting to burn through your margins. 

 THE COST OF GETTING IT WRONG

According to DairyNZ, for every one clinical down cow, there are SEVEN more subclinical cases you’re not seeing.

Those are the cows that:

Calve slowly
Slow to cycle
Slow rumination recovery
Struggle to hit peak milk
Quietly drop out of your system

They’re the ones that cost you silently — in repro losses, vet visits, lost production etc.

A TIMELINE TO STAY AHEAD OF METABOLIC ISSUES

We’ve broken the dry cow period into three key phases. Each one matters — here’s what to focus on, and when.

 1. DRYING OFF

Drying off is a physiological stress event. Done poorly, it kicks off inflammation — and sets the tone for everything that follows.

What to do:

Keep feeding a full in-milk diet right up to her last milking.
Reduce protein only on the day of drying off and the two days following.
Change her routine — e.g. shift milking times to signal the transition.
Provide space and fibre — use hay or straw to keep her full and calm.
Maintain mineral support — Se, Zn, Cu, and continue Ca and Mg (essential for teat closure and immune defence).

Aim: Fast, clean drying off with minimal inflammation = less metabolic fallout later. 

 2. WINTER FEEDING

Don’t Let the System Create Stress. Most dry cow issues don’t come from neglect — they come from unintended stress.

Avoid:

Inconsistent or gappy feeding
Cold, wet, or crowded paddocks
High insulin from sugary crops or lush grass
Protein overload without adequate fibre
Inadequate nutrient support in the final trimester

What to do:

Feed for two — aim for 120 MJ/day energy (minimum), with 12% protein (minimum).
Keep the rumen ticking — avoid long gaps without feed.
Balance minerals with purpose — not just blocks, but targeted support.
Avoid inflammatory feeds — mycotoxins, poor-quality silage, unbuffered crops.

Stress = inflammation. Inflammation = metabolic chaos. Break the cycle before it starts.

 3. THE TRANSITION PERIOD

Set Her Up to Sprint — Not Stumble

The 3 weeks before and after calving — this is her most critical metabolic window.

She’s shifting from dry to lactating. Her rumen must expand. Her energy demands skyrocket. She’s also giving birth. There's a lot going on.

The goal?  Minimise metabolic issues and get her firing from Day 1.

What to do:

Limit grass — too much potassium, nitrogen, not enough energy.
Feed 2–4kg of straw or hay daily — improves rumen function and calcium mobilisation.
Supplement magnesium (We can suggest the best combination).
Provide vitamin A + D, and key trace elements: Se, Zn, Co.
Introduce the energy-dense feed she’ll get in the shed (with high starch and buffer support).

The pay off when dry cow and transition management are dialled in: