Our earlier studies with dry cows have highlighted a number of factors that affect performance in the subsequent lactation, including forage intake in the peri-parturient period, body condition at calving and supply of Metabolisable Protein (MP) (Moorby et al., 1996; Dewhurst et al., 2000). There is now increased interest in making more use of grazed grass, as a cheap feed, particularly through extending grazing into the late-autumn and winter. Dry cows are suited to extended grazing because they do not need to be brought in for milking each day. The high voluntary intakes of grass may be beneficial for dry cows, though the low MP supply from autumn-grass might be a disadvantage. This experiment evaluated the effects of extended grazing, compared with housing and silage-feeding of dry cows.