Management of the dry cow in control of peripartum disease and mastitis.

The dry period has great implications on overall health and productivity in the subsequent lactation. Many anatomic, physiologic, and immunolgic changes are occurring for both the cow and the mammary gland during this time. These changes need to be understood and taken into consideration when assessing and implementing health management programs that involve this crucial time period. Specifically, nutritional and immunologic requirements of the individual cow need to be considered. The occurrence of many peripartum diseases is significantly influenced through nutritional and metabolic parameters that can be strongly influenced, controlled, and monitored in the dry period. From an udder-health perspective, the goal of the dry period can be met by recommending administration of DCT to all quarters of all cows at the end of lactation. As research continues to explore and define shortcomings of this approach and as scrutiny of the prophylactic use of antibiotics increases, however, novel approaches to preventing and eliminating IMI may become more readily available. These approaches offer new methods to improve upon and redefine what should be realistic goals of the dry period and afford an opportunity for continued improvement of udder health in today's dairy herds.