Improving adaptation to lactation: nutrition and management strategies for periparturient dairy cattle

Summary

A well-functioning liver is of great importance
to dairy cattle, especially in the period around calving where the cow is
subjected to large changes in diet, management, and metabolic requirements.
Improving the adaptation from the non-lactating period to lactation can help to
increase cow health and welfare. In this thesis, four nutrition and management
strategies are investigated to improve metabolic adaptation of dairy cows
around calving. Each strategy improved liver metabolism, but the consequences of
the improved liver health for animal health or performance were not always
clear based on the studies in this thesis. Further improvement of our
understanding of fat mobilization and fat transport in dairy cows around
calving is needed to understand individual differences between cows and to
customize support strategies.