Intake before the next additive
Transition-cow intake is the first ration to protect: a heating TMR lowers the nutrients she can actually consume.
ShareIntake before the next additive
3 min read · 2026-09-07
Dry-matter intake is the practical gate between a ration on paper and energy entering the cow. Hot, yeasty, moldy, or poorly managed feed can reduce palatability and effective nutrient intake; no additive substitutes for correcting feed access or stability.
Walk the bunk before the product list: compare offered and refused feed, inspect heating and sorting, check bunk space, push-up timing, water, lying time, and fresh-cow health on the same day. Then review the evidence with the nutritionist and veterinarian. Educational only — not a diagnosis, prescription, or ration formula.
Sources
- Maximizing Feed Intake: Key for Transition Cow Success — Penn State Extension
- Transition Cow Nutrition and Management Strategies for Preventing Metabolic Disorders and Improving Reproductive Performance — Kerwin AL et al. (2023), Animals 13(17):2701
- Summer Feed Storage and Feed Bunk Management — University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension
- Dry and Transition Cows, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle — National Academies