The often-overlooked welfare issues of the non-lactating period
The dry period — the 6-8 weeks between lactations when dairy cows do not produce milk — has significant welfare implications that receive less attention than lactation welfare. Drying-off (cessation of milking) causes udder engorgement and pain in high-producing cows. Dry period nutrition, housing, and management directly affect the welfare of the subsequent lactation through impacts on transition health.
Research from University of Guelph and Wageningen has documented that drying-off is painful for many cows, particularly those still producing large volumes. Strategies to reduce dry-off pain: reducing production before dry-off through dietary manipulation (reducing energy and water), administering NSAIDs at dry-off, and in some cases using gradual milking reduction over several days. Pain assessment using validated scales at dry-off shows that welfare intervention is frequently needed but rarely provided.
Dry cows are often housed in lower-quality accommodation than lactating cows — a welfare error given the nutritional and social management required during this critical period. Good dry cow welfare requires: adequate space (avoid overcrowding), clean comfortable bedding (dry cows lie 12+ hours daily), appropriate nutrition (avoiding over- or under-conditioning), and social stability (avoid excessive group changes that cause social disruption during pregnancy).