Keywords
grazing dairy cows
energy reserves mobilization
calificación de condición corporal
vacas lecheras en pastoreo
movilización de reservas de energía
How to Cite
Abstract
The aim of this research was to carry out a body condition score (BCS) observational study in a commercial grazing Jersey herd in Cartago, Costa Rica (9°55` N, 83°51` W, 2350 m of altitude). The study comprised 5864 BCS records from 122 cows (29 primiparous and 93 multiparous) over an 18 months period. Cows were scored weekly by the same person, from 9 th week prepartum to 43 th week postpartum. The 1 to 5 points scale was used (1=emaciated, 5=obese). Animal feeding practices were based on intensive grazing of 30 d regrowth kikuyu (Kikuyuocloa clandestina) and supplementation of a balanced concentrate according to physiological stage. Primiparous and multiparous cows BCS at calving was 4.01 points (95% CI: 3.80-4.22 points) and 3.83 points (95% CI: 3.71-3.94 points) respectively, BCS nadir after calving differed (p<0.05) between primiparous (3.10 points; 95% CI: 2.97-3.23 points) and multiparous cows (2.86 points; 95% CI: 2.76-2.96 points). When stratifying BCS at calving into values ≤3.25, 3.50 to 4.00 and ≥4.25 points, differences (p<0.01) were found in nadir and BCS change extreme values within primiparous or multiparous groups of cows. Animals that calved with higher BCS lost more BCS post calving, but remained at a greater BCS at nadir and the whole lactation. Results suggest that BCS at calving could be used as a partial indicator of BCS nadir and BCS change from calving to nadir, which has important implications on production and fertility of cows.References
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