Dairy cow performance in relation to the combination of cow height and condition score

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 15-15
Author(s):  
G. E. Pollott ◽  
H. F. Wicks ◽  
J. D. Leaver

The increased use of Holstein genes in the British dairy herd led to the replacement of Friesian cows with the taller, thinner Holstein type. The objective of this study was to use measurements of cow height (Ht) at withers and average body condition score throughout lactation (ACS), to investigate their relationship with commercial herd performance.

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 466 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Stevens ◽  
B. R. Thompson ◽  
G. W. Asher ◽  
I. C. Scott

The effect of pre-calving hind body condition and the interaction with pasture forage mass during lactation on calf growth and intake to weaning were investigated. Two-hundred and forty red deer hinds (Cervus elaphus scoticus × hippelaphus) of average body condition score (BCS) 3.5 were subjected to either ad libitum or restricted feeding for the 4 weeks before the expected start of calving (31 October) to create hinds of low (2.5) or high (3.5) BCS. The hinds were then grazed continuously on pasture of either low (<1200 kg DM/ha) or high (>2400 kg DM/ha) forage mass during lactation (29 October–25 March). In a 2 × 2 crossover design liveweight, liveweight gain and pasture intake were measured in both hinds and calves. Low hind body condition score (BCS 2.5) at the onset of lactation resulted in low calf weaning weight (46.9 kg) when forage mass was low, but not when forage mass was high (57.3 kg). High BCS (3.5) in hinds resulted in intermediate calf weaning weight when on low forage mass (51.2 kg) and high calf weaning weight when forage mass was high (56.6 kg). Both BCS and forage mass influenced calculated total milk production.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 50-50
Author(s):  
Clayton L McGuire ◽  
Jeremy G Powell ◽  
Reagan Cauble ◽  
Bryan Kutz ◽  
Karen Anschutz ◽  
...  

Abstract Foot soundness is essential for optimum performance in beef cattle. When evaluating foot soundness, emphasis is placed on foot angle (FA) and claw set (CS). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of foot angle and claw set scores on cowherd performance. Data were collected on 491 crossbred Angus-based cows over a three-year period. At weaning, FA and CS were evaluated according to American Angus Association guidelines. Scores are based on a nine-point scale, where a score of one indicates straight pasterns and short, divergent toes, and nine indicates weak, sunken pasterns and long, curled toes. Cows that exhibited scores ranging from four to six were considered acceptable. If either score fell outside this range, the cow was considered undesirable. Acceptable and undesirable cows were evaluated for performance traits including pre-breeding body weight (PBW), pre-breeding body condition score (PBCS), cow body weight at weaning (CWW), cow body condition score at weaning (WBCS), pregnancy rate, 205 d adjusted weaning weight (AWW), and weaning performance (WP). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences (P ≥ 0.19) for WP, PBW, PBCS, CWW, or pregnancy rate. Cows with acceptable foot scores had a WBCS 5.49% greater (P < 0.001) than undesirable cows. Acceptable cows possessed an average WBCS of 4.9 compared to 4.6 in undesirable cows. Acceptable cows weaned calves 3.39% heavier (P = 0.024) compared to undesirable cows. Acceptable cows weaned calves with a mean AWW of 216.67 kg compared to undesirable cows with a mean of 209.56 kg. The results from this study suggest that cows with acceptable foot scores may maintain more desirable BCS and wean heavier calves. These results could be used to help predict cow performance based on FA and CS.


Author(s):  
Petra Puklová ◽  
Jan Šubrt ◽  
Dušan Skrip ◽  
Radek Filipčík

The objective of our research was to evaluate the effect of some factors on the embryonic mortality of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in a herd. Monitoring was conducted in the course of three years (2006–2009) at a level of (9330–8970) kg/dairy cow per lactation. We monitored the reproduction parameters of 209 dairy cows (1st to 8th lactation). Ultrasonography was used to diagnose gravidity, and/or embryonic mortality, in each cow 6 times, at regular 4-day intervals between days 22 and 42 after insemination. We analysed the effect of 3 factors on embryonic mortality: age, body condition score and season of the year at the time of insemination. Embryonic mortality relative to the age of the female was significantly the lowest (20.69 %) in cows aged 42 to 47 months (3.5–3.9 years); high embryonic mortality (45.46 %) was recorded in the youngest females of 24 to 29 months of age (2.0–2.4 years). The results indicated that the body condition score of the cow at the time of insemination had a statistically significant (P > 0.01) effect on embryonic mortality (EM). Embryonic mortality was the lowest when the body condition of the cow was “ideal”, i.e. 5 points of the BCS (at the most 9 points). The season of the year when insemination was carried out had a positive effect on embryonic mortality.


Author(s):  
Hilal Tozlu Çelik ◽  
Fatih Ahmet Aslan ◽  
Yeliz Kaşko Arıcı ◽  
Metehan Eser Kahveci ◽  
İbrahim Kiper

In this study, it was aimed to determine the number of pregnancies and infants by B-Mod Real Time 3.5 MHz linear transabdominal probe ultrasonography device on the 50th day of pregnancy in 126 head Karayaka sheep. In addition, the relationship between body condition score and fry birth weight was tried to be determined on the 50th day of pregnancy and sheep age. The findings obtained by ultrasonography device were compared with the lambing records. In this study, the accuracy of ultrasound examination was 84% and sensitivity was 93%. The correlation coefficient between the average body condition score of the sheep on the 50th day of pregnancy and birth weight of the offspring was calculated as 0.234 and it was found to be statistically significant. It was determined that there was a significant relationship between the sheep age and the body condition score at the 50th day of pregnancy.


1984 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
A. J. F. Russel

ABSTRACTBody condition score, assessed subjectively on the live animal, was related to the directly determined body composition of 73 mature, non-pregnant, non-lactating cows of Hereford × Friesian, Blue-Grey, Galloway, Luing and British Friesian genotypes. Relationships between condition score and chemically determined body fat were all very highly significant, and considered to be of value for predictive purposes. Differences between genotypes in the proportion of fat stored in the main depots of the body resulted in differences in the relationship between condition score and body fat. British Friesian cows had a higher proportion of their fat in the intra-abdominal depots and the lowest proportion of subcutaneous fat, resulting in their being fatter at any given condition score. Hereford × Friesian cows had the highest proportion of subcutaneous fat and were thus the least fat at any condition score. One unit change in condition score was associated with a change of 2242 (s.e. 103) MJ of body tissue energy in Hereford × Friesian, Blue-Grey, Galloway and Luing cows and 3478 (s.e. 392) MJ in British Friesian cows. These figures may be used to bring a greater degree of precision to the nutritional management of beef and dairy cows.


2013 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 6423-6439 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A.A. Pires ◽  
C. Delavaud ◽  
Y. Faulconnier ◽  
D. Pomiès ◽  
Y. Chilliard

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