By Viéhpro Industries Ltd
Dairy farming success doesn’t start at the milking bucket—it starts in the feeding trough. Many farmers expect high milk yields without realizing that proper nutrition is the backbone of a productive, healthy cow.
At Viéhpro Industries Ltd, we’ve seen firsthand how feeding impacts milk quantity, fertility, calf health, and even how long a cow stays productive. Here’s why nutrition should never be treated lightly.
🥛 1. Milk Starts with What the Cow Eats
Milk is made from nutrients in the feed. A cow producing 20–30 liters of milk a day is under constant nutritional demand. If feed lacks energy, protein, or minerals, milk drops fast.
✅ Cows need a balanced ration of:
- Energy (from maize, silage, molasses)
- Protein (from dairy meal, legumes, sunflower cake)
- Minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium)
- Clean water—up to 100L per day!
🐮 2. Poor Nutrition = Poor Fertility
Thin or weak cows often have trouble conceiving or maintaining pregnancy. Nutrient gaps (especially in energy and trace minerals) can delay heat cycles or cause silent heats. After calving, they also struggle to return to normal.
✅ Well-fed cows:
- Conceive faster
- Deliver healthy calves
- Recover quicker post-calving
🐾 3. Good Nutrition Prevents Disease
A strong immune system depends on nutrients like:
- Selenium (prevents retained placenta and mastitis)
- Vitamin A & E (protects eyes, skin, and immunity)
- Zinc (supports udder and hoof health)
When nutrition is poor, diseases like mastitis, lameness, and milk fever become more common.
👩🏾🌾 4. Feeding Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Different cows have different needs:
- Milking cows need high-energy feed
- Dry cows need maintenance-level feed to prepare for next lactation
- Pregnant cows need more protein and minerals for calf development
- Calves need early access to quality feed and clean water
Feed plans must change depending on stage, breed, and health.
📉 What Poor Feeding Costs You:
- Drop in milk yield
- Fertility delays
- Weak or stillborn calves
- More vet bills
- Early culling
📢 Final Word from Viéhpro
At Viéhpro Industries Ltd, we believe in smarter dairy practices. That’s why we’re developing solutions and sharing insights that help farmers make feeding a strategy, not a guesswork.
Remember: A well-fed cow gives well. A neglected cow costs more.
