Before the next lactation starts, there are several decisions to be made: how many days before calving should we dry off the cows? Are there differences between primiparous and multiparous cows? What are the PROs and CONs of one-phase or two-phase dry cow rations? When we get closer to calving, we have to think about how can we achieve a smooth transition from dry to fresh cow feed. Which are the key check points for freshly calved cows? These and many more questions will be discussed and answered from a very practical point of view by Dr. Astrid Brandl, specialized dairy veterinarian and dairy farm owner.