Drying off

Drying off

• Reduce the number of milkings to one daily
• Curtail rations for 7 to 10 days
• Then milk every other day
• Do not strip for about 14 days
• Dry her off 6 to 8 weeks before she is due to calving again.

Management of bulls

• A well-managed bull can stay functional in a herd for 8 to 10 years
• Allow a young bull to serve when it is 12 to 15 months of age up to 20 heifers in its first season
• Later it can serve 30 to 60 cows annually depending on age, fertility and physical fitness
• On a good ley pasture, a mature bull requires 2 to 4 kg of concentrate per day
• Exercise is necessary to maintain muscular tone and activity and to prevent excessive fatness and flabbiness.