Effect of Body Condition Score on Productive Performance of Local Karadi Cows

Abstract

Twenty one Karadi cows raised at Bakrajo Farm, College of Agriculture, University of Sulaimani,
 Kurdistan Region, Iraq, over the period April 2006 – May 2007 were used in this study. Cows were
 naturally mated, then calved between 13th of June 2006 and 21st of January 2007. Cows were scored
 according to the East of Scotland College of Agriculture system (ESCA) for their body condition at two
 periods; sixty days before the expected calving, and at calving (1-3 days after calving). Data were
 analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure system by Statistical Analysis System (SAS).
 The overall means of milk yield of 8 weeks, total milk yield, peak milk yield, persistency, and
 lactation period were 217.76 ± 18.13 kg, 290.43 ± 34.10 kg, 35.00 ± 2.69 kg/week, 4.29 ± 0.28 week, and
 89.38 ± 7.01 days, respectively. Body condition score at drying off and at calving had a significant effect
 on 8 weeks, total milk yield, peak milk yield and persistency. Lactation period was affected by body
 condition score at drying off, whereas body condition score at calving not affected the former trait.
 Parity and season of calving not affected the former traits.

Relationship of udder morphometry with milk yield and body condition traits in Beetal goats

“…During early lactation, BCS had positive association with milk production, negative with milk protein and no association with milk fat in Peranakan Etawah goats between BCS 2 to 4 as suggested by Susilorini et al (2014). Few other studies also showed that BCS has high correlation with milk production and composition (Zahraddeen et al 2009, Ahmed et al 2010and Pambu et al 2011) as well as it affects the reproduction performance of dairy animals (Suharto et al 2008 andSerin et al 2010).…”

Body Condition Score and Its Association with Productive and Reproductive Performance and Health Status in Dairy Cattle: Review Article

“…Influence of pre partum body condition score on milk production [22] . The results of [23] exhibited that the body condition score at drying (BCSD) and at calving (BCSC) significantly affected milk production during the first 8 weeks, total milk production, peak production and persistence, as the body condition categories (3, 3.25, 3.5) outperformed during the dry period, and (3, 3.5) at parturition on the rest of the body condition categories in total milk production, and skinny cows with body condition score (2, 2.25, 2.5) gave a lower peak of production compared to the rest of the body condition categories. This explains that cattle with a high body condition score suffer from a high negative energy balance value, which is due to the high body stock, and a low body condition score suffers from a decrease in body reserves during the prenatal period, which controls their production, especially at the beginning of the lactation season or during the early stage of lactation period [22].…”