Three weeks before and three weeks after calving, dairy cows experience massive changes in nutrient and micromineral demands. An energy deficit is common in this period and cows struggle to take in more energy than they deplete. Jessica McArt, DVM, compares this energy challenge to marathon runners in this article. Her analogy might help explain the effects of transition to a dairy client.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, November 4, 2024. Link.