Body condition assessment

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Body condition assessment is a method of assessing the dairy cow’s body fat reserves.

In practice, there are often misconceptions regarding the actual energy content of the ration and even more so with regard to the amount of food consumed by the individual animal. The feed intake of the individual animal cannot be measured under practical conditions. However, it can be recorded indirectly via the development of body condition.

There are 2 procedures:

  • Body Condition Scoring (BCS).
  • Measurement of back fat thickness using ultrasonic (BFT).

This programme supports the BCS and BFT procedures for the control of feeding and the classification of animals into performance groups. For this purpose, the program allows a

  • simple and rational data collection as well as a
  • Intensive evaluation per cow and for the HERDEplus

The most widely used method is body condition scoring (BCS). For the extent of the body’s reserves, grades from 1 (emaciated) to 5 (fattened) are assigned.

Performing the BCS and evaluating the findings is easy. It can be carried out by the farmer himself without much effort. However, the evaluation by a consultant has the advantage that the subjective influence of the evaluator can be switched off to a greater extent.

Dates for the condition assessment according to BCS or BFT

The assessment of the condition is best carried out monthly (together with the MRec), but at least 6 times a year.

Optimal times:

  1. Befor calving, in order to be able to draw conclusions for feeding the dry cows
  2. Within the 1st month of lactation
  3. In the middle of lactation
  4. In end of lactation, so that the dry off takes place in the best possible condition.

By means of the body condition, the feeding can be regularly checked and specified, as well as the division of the cows into the performance groups can be made.

Settings Condition assessment

Type of condition assessment

  • BCS – Body Condition Score
  • BFT – Back fat thickness [in mm]

Shifting the standard range BFT | Default 0

Chart

  • Display days, days after calving | Default 360
  • Change per day, Max. Value spacing (days) | Default 0
  • Smooth trend line, grid days | Default 30

Normal

  • separate standard range 1. Lactation | if inactive all lactations have the same standard range
  • Breed | Holstein-Frisian or Fleckvieh