Transition from gestation through lactation represents an entire shift in cow endocrinology and metabolism. This shift in metabolic properties describes a gap in cow’s metabolic responses to the environment. The gap is related to different nature of production (pregnancy and parturition vs. lactation) and different amount and quality of nutrient requirements. The larger the gap, the more dramatic the shift, and thus the more challenging transition and the higher risks from metabolic disorders and depressed reproduction. Thus, management must be modified in ways to minimize (extent) or at the very least to shorten (duration) cow’s metabolic gaps from late pregnancy through early and peak lactation. This article innovatively generates a global conceptual on-farm standard to prescribe individual cow dry period length for commercial herds to improve longevity, reproduction, economics, and environmental quality. Despite some earlier research studying how shortening or omitting dry period may affect production, reproduction and health, conclusive data for guideline and on-farm recommendations development will yet to be obtained. There also is a lack of profound and pragmatic sciencefounded knowledge and insight on individualizing dry period properties in dairy cows.

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