Periparturient cows adapt physiologically to high nutrient demands; however, a poor transition results in economic losses due to decreased production and increased disease incidence. This study investigated the effects of a control diet (CN) and a negative dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) diet (ND) during close-up on the postpartum performance of low (LBCS)- and high (HBCS)-body-condition-score (BCS: 1-5) cows. Forty Holstein cows were enrolled at −21 d relative to calving into one of the four treatments (n=10/group): LBCS-CN, LBCS-ND, HBCS-CN, and HBCS-ND. The LBCS and HBCS cows had ≤ 3.00 and ≥ 3.25 BCSs, whereas the DCADs in the CN and ND groups were +100 and −100 mEq/kg of dry matter, respectively. Chlorides and sulfates of Mg and Ca were used, where the DCAD=[(Na+K)-(Cl+S)]. This study was approved by the ethical committee for animal welfare at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. Repeated measures analysis was conducted using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Milk production, milk composition, and calf birth weight were not different between LBCS and HBCS groups (p>0.05). Prepartum, the ND versus the CN produced numerically a 3.20 kg/d higher amount of milk when fed to HBCS cows, but this increase was only 0.90 kg/d when fed to LBCS cows (p=0.28). However, prepartum DCAD level had no interaction with the BCS group of the cows for any of the observed parameters (p>0.05). The serum concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (p=0.03) and free fatty acids (FFA;p=0.01) were also increased in the HBCS cows versus those in the LBCS cows over the 9 wk of lactation. Prepartum DCAD level had no effect on pre- and postpartum BCS and daily rumination time (p>0.05). The ND decreased postpartum concentrations of serum β-hydroxybutyrate (p=0.01) and FFA (p=0.04) compared with those under the CN. In conclusion, a negative DCAD during the close-up period is equally beneficial in low- and high-BCS cows in terms of decreased β-hydroxybutyrate and FFA during the postpartum period.