There are a mixture of first lactation heifers and older cows in this group. These dairy cows will stay in this group for at least a week, allowing them time to recover after calving and give the staff opportunity to monitor their feed intakes and check them for any signs of ill health such as milk fever, retained membranes.
Cows are given fresh cow checks by the vet within the first few days of calving, their blood ketones are checked and an internal exam is provided to check for cleanliness of the reproductive tract. If it is identified during the check that the cow has low rumen fill she may be given a specialised drench with added electrolytes and minerals such as rumen forte and glycol.
There are never more than 30 cows in this group. Due to the small group size it allows them to have extra feed face space with greater access to water troughs and a choice of cubicles to lie in. These cows are milked last for practical reasons as some may still be on milk withhold post calving (due to medicine withdrawal period or the cow still producing colostrum) and it allows for extra staff time in the parlour for the new milking heifers.
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