Relationships between body condition score in dry-off, calving or different lactation days and selected reproductive parameters in dairy cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between body condition score in dry-off, calving or different lactation days and selected reproductive parameters in dairy cows. In this study, body condition scoring (using a 5-point scale with quarter-point divisions) was performed on 130 Holstein dairy cows in six period included dry-off (BCSD), calving (BCSC), days in milk (DIM) 70, 140, 210 and 280 (BCS70, BCS140, BCS210, BCS280) and analyzed its relationships with selected reproductive parameters (calving interval [CI], calving to first service [CFS], calving to conception interval [CCI] and service per conception [SC]). The relationships among the BCS assessment periods, the relationships between the difference of BCSD and BCS70 (BCSD-70) with BCSD and BCS140 (BCSD-140) and calving to first service (CFS) were found important (P<0.01, P<0.05 respectively). Also, the relationship between CFS and calving interval (CI) and average BCS (BCSavg) during lactation were found important (P<0.01, P<0.05). While the relationship with dry-off and calving and selected reproductive parameters was not found to be statistically important, an important relationship was found between BCS70 and CFS, CI (P<0.01, P<0.05), BCS140 and BCS210 with CFS (P<0.01, P<0.05). When the effect of the determined relationships were assessed, the effects of BCS70 and BCS140 on CFS were found important (P<0.05, P<0.01). As a conclusion, it can be said that optimum BCS interval in DIM70 and DIM140 are 2.0< BCS70 ≤ 3.5 and 2.0< BCS140 ≤ 3.75; respectively for minimum CFS. Also in considering the possible negative effects of BCS loss in early lactation on reproductive performance, the optimum BCS interval in calving has been determined to be 2.25≤ BCSC ≤ 3.25 for minimum condition loss in postpartum in this study.