Italian Study Links Dry-Period Feed Restriction to Cow Inflammation

A research project conducted at CERZOO, the experimental farm of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Piacenza, examined the effects of a severe feed restriction applied to high‑producing Holstein dairy cows during the week before the dry period. Twenty‑six cows that normally produced over 15 kg of milk per day were given only grass hay for seven days, which cut milk output by about 62 % and altered rumen fermentation, reduced feed intake, and increased mobilization of body reserves.

The study, published in the Journal of Dairy Science, also measured inflammatory and hepatic biomarkers. Results showed that the restrictive diet triggered changes in inflammatory markers and liver function that persisted into the early weeks of the subsequent lactation, indicating that the intensity of pre‑dry‑period feeding restriction has lasting metabolic consequences for dairy cows.