scholarly journals Hormonal profile and body condition scoring in dairy cows during pre partum and post partum periods

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mária Vargová ◽  
Vladimír Petrovič ◽  
Jana Konvičná ◽  
Marián Kadaši ◽  
Peter Zaleha ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of selected indicators of energy, hormonal profile, body condition score (BCS) and their relationships in dairy cows of the Slovak Pied Cattle from 3 weeks before parturition to 9 weeks after. Significant differences were found in the mean values of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) (P < 0.001) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) (P < 0.05). According to BCS results, the dry cows were overweight (4.42 ± 0.75 points). After calving the cows lost weight significantly, as the BCS was 3.25 ± 0.30 points at 9 weeks post partum (P < 0.001). The highest concentration of leptin was recorded before calving (26.80 ± 11.47 ng/ml). The concentrations of insulin and ghrelin did not change significantly (an increase in insulin concentrations from 580.8 ± 66.30 IU/ml to 625.50 ± 174.90 IU/ml and a decrease in ghrelin concentrations from 29.25 ± 4.82 pg/ml to 26.57 ± 5.35 pg/ml were found comparing 3 weeks to 1 week before parturition, respectively). Relationships between the hormones showed positive correlation between insulin and leptin (r = 0.220, P < 0.05), BCS and leptin (r = 0.360, P < 0.001), BCS and insulin (r = 0.232, P < 0.05) and negative correlation between leptin and ghrelin (r = -0.235, P < 0.05), BCS and ghrelin (r = -0.257, P < 0.05). These data provide evidence that the variations in the concentrations of leptin, ghrelin, and insulin are related to variations in the BCS. Negative correlation between leptin and ghrelin contributes to the argument that leptin negatively regulates ghrelin.

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 647-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Formigoni ◽  
P. Pezzi ◽  
A. Gramenzi ◽  
G. Martino ◽  
E. Neri

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 60-60
Author(s):  
G. Oikonomou ◽  
G. Arsenos ◽  
G.E. Valergakis ◽  
A. Tsiaras ◽  
G. Banos

Various studies in dairy cows have shown that their Body Condition Score (BCS) effectively reflects their nutritional status and energy content (Ferguson et al. 1994). Extremes in BCS and BCS losses have been identified as a risk factor for health problems and reduced reproductive efficiency (Markusfeld et al. 1997, Lopez-Gatius et al. 2003). Body condition scoring is easy and inexpensive to perform and gives a reliable estimate of body energy reserves. Hence, in practice, BCS can be used as a tool for ration formulation and management decisions concerning reproduction of dairy cows (Banos et al. 2004). The objective of this study was to determine and quantify the impact of BCS in the reproductive performance of primiparous Holstein cows.


2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Schulz ◽  
Jana Frahm ◽  
Ulrich Meyer ◽  
Susanne Kersten ◽  
Dania Reiche ◽  
...  

Subclinical ketosis is a metabolic disorder which often goes undiagnosed and leads to constricted performance and an impairment of general condition. In the current study subclinical ketosis was characterised by a β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration of >1·2 mmol/l in blood serum. To generate this metabolic situation, an animal model was created. The model, based on group-specific interaction of dietary energy supply and body condition, is appropriate for testing the medical effectiveness of treating this kind of ketosis and its concomitants. During the trial, 18 dairy cows (primiparous and pluriparous) were assigned, according to their body condition score (BCS) 6 weeks before expected parturition, to a normal [6·78 MJ net energy for lactation (NEL)/kg dry matter; 20% concentrate] or to a high-energy feeding group (7·71 MJ NEL/kg dry matter; 60% concentrate). Therefore cows with the highest BCS were allocated to the high-energy group to enhance the contrast with the control group. Statistical analysis was done using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Effects were declared significant when P-values were ⩽0·05. Owing to the higher energy concentration and dry matter intake, the energy intake and balance was significantly higher in the high-energy feeding group, with strong effects on lipid metabolism and health in blood and liver post partum. Within the first 2 weeks after calving, 8 out of 9 cows (89%) of the high-energy group had BHB values indicative of subclinical ketosis. These cows also had significantly higher values of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), aspartate transaminase (AST) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) post partum, as well as a raised total lipid content of the liver. RQUICKI, a calculated parameter which is based on serum concentrations of glucose, insulin and NEFA to assess the insulin sensitivity, was not affected by treatment. Therefore, RQUICKI does not seem to be the right parameter for diagnosing decreased insulin sensitivity in cows affected by subclinical ketosis. The milk fat and the fat:protein ratio of the high-energy group was also higher, even though there was no decrease in milk yield for cows with subclinical BHB values.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Rodrigo I. Albornoz ◽  
Khageswor Giri ◽  
Murray C. Hannah ◽  
William J. Wales

Body condition scoring is a valuable tool used to assess the changes in subcutaneous tissue reserves of dairy cows throughout the lactation resulting from changes to management or nutritional interventions. A subjective visual method is typically used to assign a body condition score (BCS) to a cow following a standardized scale, but this method is subject to operator bias and is labor intensive, limiting the number of animals that can be scored and frequency of measurement. An automated three-dimensional body condition scoring camera system is commercially available (DeLaval Body Condition Scoring, BCS DeLaval International AB, Tumba, Sweden), but the reliability of the BCS data for research applications is still unknown, as the system’s sensitivity to change in BCS over time within cows has yet to be investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of an automated body condition scoring system for dairy cows for research applications as an alternative to visual body condition scoring. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows (9 ± 6.8 days in milk) were body condition scored visually by three trained staff weekly and automatically twice each day by the camera for at least 7 consecutive weeks. Measurements were performed in early lactation, when the greatest differences in BCS of a cow over the lactation are normally present, and changes in BCS occur rapidly compared with later stages, allowing for detectable changes in a short timeframe by each method. Two data sets were obtained from the automatic body condition scoring camera: (1) raw daily BCS camera values and (2) a refined data set obtained from the raw daily BCS camera data by fitting a robust smooth loess function to identify and remove outliers. Agreement, precision, and sensitivity properties of the three data sets (visual, raw, and refined camera BCS) were compared in terms of the weekly average for each cow. Sensitivity was estimated as the ratio of response to precision, providing an objective performance criterion for independent comparison of methods. The camera body condition scoring method, using raw or refined camera data, performed better on this criterion compared with the visual method. Sensitivities of the raw BCS camera method, the refined BCS camera method, and the visual BCS method for changes in weekly mean score were 3.6, 6.2, and 1.7, respectively. To detect a change in BCS of an animal, assuming a decline of about 0.2 BCS (1–8 scale) per month, as was observed on average in this experiment, it would take around 44 days with the visual method, 21 days with the raw camera method, or 12 days with the refined camera method. This represents an increased capacity of both camera methods to detect changes in BCS over time compared with the visual method, which improved further when raw camera data were refined as per our proposed method. We recommend the use of the proposed refinement of the camera’s daily BCS data for research applications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-495
Author(s):  
Rashida Khaton

The present study was carried out from selected areas at Rajshahi district to evaluate the reproductive performance of dairy cows in relation to breed/genotype, age, parity, body weight and body condition. A total of 500 cows selected and data were collected directly from the dairy farms owner by using pre-tested questionnaires during the period from September 2013 to December 2014. The average reproductive performance (RP) were recorded as age at puberty (AP) 26.42±0.22 m, age at first calving (AFC) 35.48±0.22 m, post-partum heat period (PPHP) 121.85±3.48 days, service per conception (S/C) 1.93±0.04, days open (DO) 136.80±3.57 days and calving interval (CI) 401.04±3.94 days. Genotype had significant effect (P<0.05) on all the reproductive traits except on S/C. Local (L) × Holstein Friesian (HF) genotype showed earlier AP and AFC than L× Sahiwal (SL) and L. Age group had significant (P<0.05) effect on AP, AFC and other parameters were not significant (P>0.05). Middle age groups of cows had shown better RP than others groups. Parities of cows had significant effect (P<0.05) on PPHP, S/C, DO except on AP, AFC and CI. Third parity had better RP than others. The best RP was found in >300 kg BW groups. Body condition score had significant effect (P<0.05) on all RP. Good body condition score (BCS) had excellent RP. Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.7(3): 481-495,  December 2020


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-455
Author(s):  
X. Mihajlovičová ◽  
P. Mudroň,

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different pre-calving body conditions on some metabolic indices, health status and reproductive disorders in dairy cows. The study was conducted on a dairy farm in Eastern Slovakia during the pre-partum period (–1 to –10 DIM) and post-partum period (1 to 14 DIM). Total of 84 cows allotted in 3 groups were submitted to clinical examination and body condition score (BCS) evaluation. At the same intervals blood samples were collected for determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and calcium levels. During the postpartum period the incidence of reproductive diseases, such as metritis, retained placenta, metabolic disorders, such as milk fever, left displacement of abomasum and orthopaedic disorders were recorded. The strongest lipid mobilisation (NEFA elevation), ketone body production, and blood calcium drop were determined in postpartum dairy cows with the highest prepartum body condition score. In conclusion, the dairy cows with different BCS hade a different metabolic response during the postpartum period. The overcondition was connected with stronger lipid mobilisation and calcium drop after calving. Moreover, the higher BCS could contribute to higher incidence of production diseases.


Author(s):  
R.F. Butterwick ◽  
T.E.C. Weekes ◽  
P. Rowlinson ◽  
D.S. Parker ◽  
D.G. Armstrong

The objectives of the trial were to investigate the effects of bovine somatotrophin (BST) from either week 2 or week 10 post-partum on the yields of milk, milk components, body weight, body condition, feed intake, health and reproductive status of dairy cows over a second consecutive lactation. The results from the heifer lactation have been reported previously (Butterwick et al. 1988).17 Friesian dairy cows in their second lactation were continued on the same treatment as in their heifer lactation: daily subcutaneous injection of recombinantly derived bovine somatotrophin (BST;25mg/d) from either week 2 (BST2;n=6) or week 10 (BSTl0;n=5) post-partum, or injection of a buffer solution from week 2 of lactation (C;n=6). Treatments continued until week 42 of lactation or until 60 days prior to predicted calving date, if this occurred before week 42 of lactation. Initially cows were housed in cubicles and fed ad libitum through Calan doors, on a diet consisting of concentrate and grass silage (Table 1) on a 60:40 dry matter ratio. After day 110 of lactation cows were turned out to pasture but continued to receive concentrates according to milk yield and body condition score. Milk yield and feed intake were recorded daily, milk composition, body weight and body condition score were recorded twice weekly. Health and reproductive status were monitored over the lactation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 897-903 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luís Fernando Laranja da Fonseca ◽  
Paulo Henrique Mazza Rodrigues ◽  
Marcos Veiga dos Santos ◽  
André Pinto Lima ◽  
Carlos de Sousa Lucci

The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of propylene glycol (PPG) supplementation to periparturient cows on: milk yield, changes in body condition score (BCS), days to first oestrus after calving, and on the beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), non-esterefied fatty acids (NEFA) and glucose concentrations. Twenty-three Holstein cows were distributed into two treatments: a) 300 mL of PPG (group treatment, 11 cows), b) 300 mL of water (group control, 12 cows), administered via drench in periparturient period. BCS was evaluated on days -10, 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 relative to calving date. There was no effect of treatment or time on milk yield, although the interaction of time*treatment was significant and during the 4th and 5th week of lactation, milk yield was significant higher in treatment group. Days to first oestrus of PPG and control group were on average 40.2 and 45.2 respectively (P>0.05). There was no effect of treatment on body condition score (BCS) from calving to sixty days post partum. There was no effect of treatment or interaction of time*treatment on plasma parameters (BHBA, NEFA and glucose) but there was an effect of time on glucose and NEFA. However, based on an analysis of covariance, using BCS as the covariate, an effect of treatment on plasma concentrations of BHBA was observed. In conclusion, supplementation of propyleneglycol has a minor effect to alleviate the negative metabolic effects that normally occur at early lactation in dairy cows.


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