Drenching dairy cows? Learning to drench in 10 steps 

Adequate moisture supply is essential for dairy cows. Especially high yielding cows have a great need for enough fluid intake. However, under some circumstances a cow can actually lose a lot of fluid, such as during (heavy) calving. This can be recognised by a drop in milk yield, cold ears, sunken eyes or a delayed skin fold test. It is important that farmers recognise these signs in time and respond to them immediately.  

Which cows are eligible for drenching?  

Any dairy cow suspected of insufficient drinking or dehydration may be considered for drenching. Dairy cows with a non-optimal resistance and fresh cows can also benefit from supplementing fluids. The extra liquid that enters the cow’s rumen supports the animal, ensures that toxic substances produced by living organisms leave the body and improves the appetite.  

In addition, drenching around calving is also very important. The rumen must be filled as soon as possible after the birth of the calf. In this way, the rumen fills the space where the calf used to be. This prevents the abomasum from being displaced. If the rumen is not filled quickly enough, gas will form and this will cause the abomasum to move more quickly.  

Drench with extra support  

AHV has developed a drench powder that gives the cow an (energy) boost. The AHV Booster Powder can be absorbed quickly and directly into the blood and works within a few minutes. Working with the AHV Booster Powder ensures that the cow is hydrated and thus gets enough energy, so that the cow itself starts eating again. The advantage of this is that the cow also starts to ruminate and buffer again. The AHV Booster Powder has a favourable effect on health and supports the maintenance of normal acidity levels in the rumen. Hereby the energy level is raised, and the rumen function is optimised. If drenching is not possible, for example because a cow cannot stand up, the Booster Paste is a good alternative.  

Drenching in 10 steps  

If you are already familiar with drenching, then the following may be a piece of cake for you. However, for some dairy farmers, drenching is quite a challenge. Therefore, we explain below how to drench best in ten steps: 

Fill the drench pump with lukewarm/hot water (1kg of powder/20L of lukewarm water). 

Add the Booster Drench Powder to the water. You can use a 1 kg bag or a measuring spoon and take powder from the large bucket. 

Stir the Drench Powder into the water. Make sure no lumps remain. 

Attach the drench pump and make sure everything is properly attached. 

Insert the tube into the cow’s mouth and attach the nose clip to the nose. 

Slide the hose into the tube. Push the hose into the tube up to the red line on the hose. 

Listen closely. You should hear some gurgling via the hose. 

Smell the stomach contents via the hose. This way you can be sure that the tube is placed correctly. 

Start pumping and make sure that the entire content of the drench pump end up in your cow’s stomach. 

Always lift the hose when removing it. This is to prevent your cow from suddenly getting a large amount of water in her lungs. 

If you are not able to drench your cow, you can also use two AHV Booster Pastes. Want to know more? Please contact us or call your AHV Consultant.