How to feed a cow before and after calving at home: diet

If you know how to feed a cow before and after calving, as well as how to adjust her daily diet, you can not only improve the quality and quantity of meat and milk received, but also help the animal recover faster after a difficult birth process and avoid some postpartum complications. The he alth status of the expected offspring also directly depends on the correct diet.

How to feed a cow before and after calving at home

In order for the stress of the birth process to have a minimal effect on the animal's body, the breeder needs to know how to feed the cow and what changes need to be made to her daily diet already 3 weeks before calving.

Feeding before calving

Food 21 days before calving should be changed as follows:

1. 2-3 weeks before the expected date of birth, the cow is fed basic and concentrated feed in the amount of 1 kilogram, 3 times a day.
2. 1-2 weeks before calving, the amount of concentrate increases to 4 kilograms per day. Feeding scheme: in the morning and in the evening they give 1 kilogram of feed, in the afternoon - 2 kilograms.
3. One week before the birth, the concentrate is given 2 kilograms in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Before calving, the animal may experience a loss of appetite and refuse food. Since childbirth is a strong stress for the body, the lack of interest in food in a cow during this period is considered the norm. Leftover food can be left in the feeder so that the animal can eat when hungry.

Type of feed%Silage and cereal hay Concentrates Roughage

60
24
16

Nutrition after calving

After half an hour after the end of the birth process, the cow must be given plenty of water to eliminate the risk of dehydration. On the day of calving, it is allowed to feed the animal only hay and fresh grass. From the second day after childbirth, you can give concentrated food, bran with water, which can be replaced with oats the next day. Such food will not irritate the stomach and will help normalize the stool.

Vegetables and root crops are given little by little at first, after which the serving volume is gradually increased. Juicy food in large quantities immediately after childbirth causes indigestion and an imbalance in the water balance in the body, which causes swelling of the udder.

What not to give?

In order for the cow not to get sick and give a lot of high-quality milk, it is necessary to follow certain rules when compiling the diet:

1. The animal should be fed exclusively with high-quality hay without signs of spoilage.
2. With the daily presence of bread on the menu, the bard contained in it can adversely affect the he alth of the cow, so bread should be given only occasionally, in the form of a treat, but not the main meal.
3. Silo, due to the high concentration of organic acids in it, is contraindicated to be used as the main feed. Neglect of this rule threatens with diseases of the digestive system.
4. So that milk does not acquire an unpleasant odor, all plants with a sharp aroma and taste should be excluded from the diet.
5. Vegetables and fruits before giving them to a cow must be cleaned of seeds and stones to protect the animal from an eating disorder.
6. Simultaneous intake of beets and potatoes provokes intestinal discomfort and flatulence.
7. Green potatoes and unripe tomatoes can cause poisoning due to their solanine content.

Peculiarities of feeding in winter

Due to the lack of fresh plant food in winter, the animal's diet changes significantly. The task of the livestock breeder in the winter is to try to compensate the cow for the lack of greenery to the maximum.

Pay attention! For better digestibility of food consumed in winter, a cow should be fed 4 times a day, in summer - 2 times. Products are given in small portions at the same time. In order for the transition from one diet to another does not affect the normal functioning of the stomach, the transition should be carried out gradually.

The main winter food for a cow is hay, which requires 15-20 kilograms per head per day. Other foods that should be included in the daily diet in the amount of 5-10 kilograms per head are chopped and peeled vegetables and root crops. You can make up for the lack of green grass with 10-15 kilograms of silage or haylage. Concentrated, combined feeds and a mash of barley, oats and wheat have good energy value.

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