Growth Has a New Name for Dairy Farmers: Target 150 Days

“Healthy cows make better milk.” This simple truth lies at the heart of successful dairy farming and has never been more critical than it is today. As the demand for high-quality milk continues to grow to feed the world’s rising population, the focus is shifting towards more sustainable and welfare-oriented dairy production systems. Understanding this need, Virbac has introduced a transformative program for dairy farmers worldwide — Target 150.

Why the Health and Welfare of Cows Matter

Milk production is not just about quantity but quality, sustainability, and animal well-being. Healthier cows, with proper care and nutrition, produce milk that meets higher standards of safety and richness. Moreover, healthier cows live longer, are more productive over time, and require fewer interventions, making dairy operations more efficient and profitable.

Recognizing the importance of animal welfare, Virbac developed Target 150, a program crafted in collaboration with renowned global experts. It emphasizes that maintaining cow health and welfare during specific stages of the production cycle is essential for long-term success.

Understanding the Critical 150 Days

The foundation of Target 150 lies in a vital observation: the majority of health issues affecting dairy cows occur within a specific window, from the dry-off period (about two months before calving) to around 100 days after calving. This five-month stretch, approximately 150 days, is a phase when cows undergo intense physiological, nutritional, and emotional changes.

During this transition period, cows are highly susceptible to metabolic disorders, infections, and reproductive challenges. Stress from calving, energy deficits, and immune suppression can lead to conditions like milk fever, mastitis, ketosis, and poor fertility outcomes if not managed properly.

Four Pillars of Target 150

Target 150 is built on four essential pillars that work together to ensure better health, higher milk yield, and greater reproductive efficiency:

1. 1. Animal Welfare: Happy, stress-free cows naturally produce better milk. Proper housing, hygiene, and stress management are vital components of welfare.
2. 2. Reproduction: Ensuring smooth calving, timely return to heat, and a shorter inter-calving interval directly impact milk production and farm profitability.
3. 3. Nutrition: The quality and timing of nutrition during the dry period, calving, and early lactation play a direct role in preventing diseases and boosting milk yield.
4. 4. Milk Quality and Health: A healthy cow produces high-quality milk. Preventing mastitis, managing metabolic diseases, and ensuring udder health are non-negotiable.

The Main Risks During the Critical Period

The transition phase brings several risks that, if left unchecked, can derail a cow's productive and reproductive performance:

• Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia): A sudden drop in blood calcium levels post-calving, often fatal if untreated. Milk fever extends days open, reduces fertility, and increases culling rates.
• Ketosis: Due to negative energy balance, cows may suddenly stop feeding and experience a sharp decline in milk production. Left untreated, it can severely affect liver function.
• Mastitis: Infections in the udder not only decrease milk quality but also impact cow comfort and longevity.
• Retention of Placenta & Metritis: Delayed expulsion of the placenta or infections of the uterus post-calving can significantly impact fertility.
• Prolapse, Dystocia, and Abortion: Complications during calving lead to physical trauma, loss of calf, and decreased productivity.
• Delayed Return to Heat and Longer Inter-Calving Periods: Poor energy balance and stress can postpone the cow’s reproductive cycle, affecting farm economics.

Statistics show that cows affected by milk fever are 8.9 times more likely to develop ketosis, 8.1 times more prone to mastitis, and 3.2 times more susceptible to retained placenta, among other issues. Addressing these risks early is critical.

How Target 150 Helps Dairy Farmers

Virbac’s Target 150 program doesn’t just identify the problems — it provides integrated, sustainable solutions to manage and prevent them:

• Risk Management Tools: Target 150 promotes proactive health management through early diagnosis, preventive measures like vaccination and micronutrition, and judicious use of antibiotics.
• Innovative Nutritional Solutions: Products that lower blood pH to enhance calcium mobilization help prevent milk fever. Others stimulate rumen bacteria to enhance energy production and counter ketosis.
• Training and Knowledge Sharing: Virbac ensures that farmers, veterinarians, and dairy technicians are well-trained in recognizing early signs of metabolic and infectious diseases, and in adopting best practices to minimize risks.
• Focus on Sustainability: By promoting prevention over cure, Target 150 reduces the dependency on antibiotics and enhances the longevity and productivity of dairy herds.

Nutrition as the Cornerstone

A major point emphasized in Target 150 is the role of nutrition. During the dry period and early lactation, cows often suffer from reduced feed intake (Dry Matter Intake or DMI), leading to a negative energy balance. Essential vitamins like A, E, and minerals such as Zinc and Copper decline sharply around calving. Without proper supplementation, cows are at risk of serious metabolic diseases.

By ensuring better nutrition, especially in the transition period, farmers can prevent undernutrition, boost immunity, and support the cow’s metabolic needs during this demanding phase.

The Road Ahead: Growth Through Healthier Herds

Virbac’s Target 150 program signals a new era for dairy farming. It's not merely about reacting to problems when they arise — it’s about predicting, preventing, and managing risks smartly.

Farmers who adopt the Target 150 approach will see healthier cows, higher milk yields, fewer calving-related issues, and improved reproductive performance. Ultimately, they will also see greater profitability and sustainability.

Healthy cows make better milk, and better milk builds better farms. With Target 150 by Virbac India, dairy farmers now have a powerful partner in ensuring the growth, health, and prosperity of their herds and their businesses.