Calcium Management Around Calving: A Key Lever for Dairy Cow Health and Performance
Calving is one of the most critical moments in a dairy cow’s production cycle. This transition between gestation and lactation involves major metabolic disruptions, with calcium management playing a central role. At TIMAC AGRO, our expertise in Animal Production allows us to consider calcium regulation as a direct determinant of zootechnical performance and farm profitability.
Calcium: Much More Than a Bone Element
Often limited to its structural role in the collective imagination, calcium actually plays a central role in regulating bovine metabolism. It is involved in muscle contraction, enzyme activity, nerve transmission, and especially milk production. Calcium requirements increase progressively from the growth phase, intensify at the end of gestation, and reach their peak around 60 days after calving, at the height of lactation.
Hypocalcemia: A Common Imbalance with Systemic Consequences
In response to this sudden increase in demand, the cow’s body may struggle. If bone mobilization mechanisms or external intake are not effective, the animal enters a state of hypocalcemia, either in clinical form (milk fever) or subclinical form, which is less visible but just as harmful.
These imbalances weaken the animal at a time when immunity and reproductive efficiency are particularly strained. They promote the appearance of secondary disorders such as retained placentas, metritis, or ketosis, while delaying the return to heat and reducing milk production from the very first days of lactation. The economic impact is immediate and long-lasting.
Anticipating During the Dry Period: The Key to a Safe Lactation
For TIMAC AGRO, the solution lies in reasoned, early, and individualized mineral management. The dry period is a decisive window of intervention to prepare the body for calcium mobilization. The goal is not only to restrict calcium intake, but also to stimulate the physiological mechanisms of internal mobilization.
In fact, limiting calcium intake during the dry period helps strengthen the body’s ability to mobilize its own reserves at calving, while promoting better assimilation of external calcium intake at the critical moment. This approach also aims to optimize the overall balance of the ration, particularly through precise management of macroelements and electrolyte balance. It is accompanied by targeted calcium supplementation at calving, in a highly bioavailable form, to quickly compensate for the drop in blood calcium. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on precise synchronization between the animal’s needs and the availability of the mineral.
Field Expertise Backed by Research and Innovation
TIMAC AGRO’s approach combines nutritional solutions validated by laboratory and field trials with an active field presence. Our Animal Production experts work directly with farmers to assess risks, refine calving protocols, and support the implementation of mineral supplementation plans. This operational proximity, reinforced by in-depth knowledge of physiological mechanisms, ensures concrete, measurable, and reproducible results. Our solutions are designed to adapt to the specific goals of each farm, with a focus on sustainable performance and animal welfare.
Calcium as an Indicator of Techno-Economic Control
Calcium management around calving should no longer be seen as a simple ration adjustment. It reflects the farmer’s level of technical expertise and the quality of nutritional management of the herd. Good mineral balance determines the success of lactation, the regularity of reproduction, the longevity of the animals, and the overall profitability of the system. In a context of economic pressure and agroecological transition, calcium becomes a true strategic tool. TIMAC AGRO has made it a central focus of its support, within a long-term vision for animal production.
TIMAC AGRO: A Key Player in Peripartum Health
Relying on decades of expertise and R&D focused on metabolic performance, TIMAC AGRO has established itself as a leading technical partner for farmers aiming to optimize the calving phase. Our commitment is based on a comprehensive approach: understanding physiology, anticipating imbalances, securing critical phases, and sustainably improving the farm’s economic results. Because well-managed calcium means a successful lactation, a healthy cow, and a high-performing farm.
