Glycoline™
Glycoline™
Complementary mineral feed for dairy ruminants
Glycoline™ is a complementary mineral feed for dairy cows, sheep and goats with a normal health status. It is designed to help cover the higher energy requirements of dairy ruminants in the weeks before calving and in early lactation, a period in which energy needs rise while feed intake is often lower than usual.
Glycoline™ is easy to handle and to mix into the daily ration, before and after calving, following the instructions on the label.
Specifications
ENERGY IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD EXPLAINED
The weeks before and after calving are a key period in dairy farming. During this time the energy requirements of dairy cows, sheep and goats change quickly, and the ration has to keep up with them.
Late gestation and the start of lactation follow each other within a few weeks. Foetal growth in the last weeks of gestation, calving itself and the rapid rise in milk production after calving all require energy, while feed intake around calving is often lower than usual.
Planning the ration for this period, with the right energy density and a smooth change from the dry-period diet to the lactation diet, is an essential part of good transition management and of the productivity of the farm.
- Late Gestation: In the last weeks of gestation the foetus grows faster than at any other time, and the energy requirements of the dam increase.
- Calving: Calving is an intense physical effort that adds to the energy requirements of the period.
- Start of Lactation: After calving, milk production rises quickly, and producing milk requires large amounts of energy.
- Feed Intake: Feed intake around calving is often lower than usual, just when requirements are highest.
- Milk Production: Milk yield in the following weeks depends to a large extent on the energy available to the animal.
- Ration Changes: Moving from the dry-period diet to the lactation diet requires gradual adjustments of the ration.
Good energy nutrition around calving matters for the whole farm:
- Productivity: Milk yield over the lactation depends to a large extent on a good start in the first weeks after calving.
- Feed Efficiency: A well-balanced ration makes the most of every kilogram of feed.
- Management: Grouping animals by stage and adjusting the ration to each group makes feeding simpler and more precise.
- Economics: Feed is one of the main costs of dairy production, so efficient feeding supports the profitability of the farm.
- Planning: Monitoring feed intake and body condition helps adjust the ration in time.
Attention to nutrition and management in the transition period is a key part of efficient dairy farming.
KEY FACTS
Overview
- The weeks around calving are the most demanding of the productive cycle.
- Energy requirements rise in late gestation and in early lactation.
- Good nutritional planning supports the productivity of the farm.
Key Points
- Feed intake is often lower around calving.
- Milk production rises quickly after calving.
- The ration has to adapt quickly to each change of stage.
In Practice
- Plan the ration for the dry period and early lactation together.
- Monitor feed intake and body condition regularly.
- Adjust the energy density of the ration to each stage.
GLYCOLINE™ AT A GLANCE
Energy
Glycoline™ is designed to help cover the higher energy requirements of dairy ruminants in the weeks before calving and in early lactation, as part of a balanced ration.
- Designed for the transition period.
- For use before and after calving.
- Complements the daily ration.
Dairy Ruminants
Glycoline™ is intended for dairy cows, sheep and goats with a normal health status, at the stage of the productive cycle in which their energy requirements are highest.
- For dairy cows.
- For dairy sheep and goats.
- For animals with a normal health status.
Easy to Use
Glycoline™ is supplied in 25 kg triple-layer bags, ready to be incorporated into the daily ration at the rates indicated on the label.
- Easy to handle and mix.
- 25 kg triple-layer bags on 1,000 kg pallets.
- Use as indicated on the label.
Science & Practice
The transition period of the dairy cow is usually defined as the three weeks before to the three weeks after calving.
Transition period,
(Drackley, J. Dairy Sci. 1999)In a dataset of 699 Holstein cows, dry matter intake fell by about 32% over the last three weeks of gestation, most of it in the final week.
Feed intake before calving,
(Hayirli et al., J. Dairy Sci. 2002)Within four days of calving, the demands of the mammary gland for glucose, amino acids and fatty acids are several times those of the uterus and foetus at the end of gestation (Bell, J. Anim. Sci. 1995).
Nutrient demand after calving,
Move cows to a close-up group about three weeks before calving, so that their ration can be adjusted to the needs of this period (AGQ Nutrition).
Management tip,
Give close-up cows enough feed bunk space and avoid overcrowding, so that every cow can eat when fresh feed is delivered (AGQ Nutrition).
Management tip,
Change from the dry-cow ration to the lactation ration gradually, not overnight.
Management tip,
(AGQ Nutrition)Score body condition at dry-off, at calving and in early lactation to adjust the ration in time.
