The increase in milk production potential of the modern high yielding dairy cow has resulted in excessive and prolonged negative energy balance (NEB) during early lactation. This predisposes the cow to an increased risk of metabolic disorders, poor fertility and subsequently increased culling rates. Historically, much emphasis has been placed on post partum nutrition in an attempt to suppress these ill effects. However, contemporary theories advocate improved dry cow nutrition to properly prepare the cow for energy demands of early lactation. Friggens et al. (2004) stated that priming the liver during the dry period would allow the cow to better deal with metabolic processes in the post partum period. In this experiment, dairy cows were offered different dietary energy levels pre-and post-calving in an attempt to quantify the effects on energy parameters during the same time periods.