Effects of rumen fermentability of carbohydrate and nonfiber carbohydrate during late gestation and early lactation on production and metabolic status of periparturient cows were studied. Sixteen multiparous and 40 primiparous cows were used in a randomized complete block design and assigned at random to 1 of 2 treatments in pre- and postpartum. The cows were fed diets as total mixed ration (TMR) with similar crude protein and energy (low energy diets) content, but different source of starch (ground barley vs. corn grain) from 20 ± 2 d relative to expected calving until calving. At parturition, half of the animals from each prepartum treatment were assigned to a lactation diet with 2 level of nonfiber carbohydrate until d 28 and, all cows received the same high energy lactation diet until d 90. The cows fed prepartum diet had a positive energy balance during the prepartum period. Blood samples were taken at −20, +1 and +21 d relative to calving. Data were separately analyzed for multi- and primiparous cows by proc Mixed of SAS with diet and time as fixed effect and animal nested in diet as random effect. There was no significant difference in milk content except milk lactose in primiparous cows fed prepartum diets. Milk production was higher for primiparous cows fed barley diet in prepartum and high NFC diet in postpartum, and also corn diet in prepartum and low NFC in postpartum. Milk fat content for multiparous cows was different. There was significant difference between β-hydroxybutyrate, albumin and nonesterified fatty acid for primiparous cows and total protein, alanine amino acid transferase and BHBA for multiparous cows in postpartum. There were differences in some reproductive parameters. Generally, the responses of fresh cow to nonfiber carbohydrate content in lactating diet is depends on fermentability of starch in low energy close-up diet.