Effect of body condition score on blood metabolite and production performance in crossbred dairy cattle

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the relationship among the body condition score (BCS), dynamics of serum metabolites and certain production parameters in crossbred dairy cattle from near calving to early lactation period. Eighteen animals were selected on the basis of their BCS at 14 days before their expected date of calving and divided into 3 groups. Group 1 animals had BCS>4.5 whereas group 2 and 3 had BCS in between>3 to < 4.5 and > 1.5 to < 3.0. Blood samples were collected from each of these animals on 5 different days, 14 day before their expected date of calving, 3, 14, 28 day after calving and fifth sample on the next day of first observed heat (DFH). Animals were scored for body condition on day of their blood collection. Loss in BCS was highest for group 1 and minimum for group 3 animals. Group 1 animals had almost constant glucose concentration up to stage 5, whereas group 2 animals showed increasing trend up to stage 4 and group 3 animals up to stage 3. Urea concentration increased up to stage 4 for all 3 groups, thereafter it decreased. Total protein (TP) and albumin concentration increased with progression of lactation. Group 1 and 3 had their highest total cholesterol (TC) value at stage 5 whereas group 2 animals at stage 4. A negative correlation was found between BCS and urea nitrogen which was –0.529. Similarly negative correlation (–0.710) was found between BCS and TP. Group 1 animals had lowest (28.83 days) DFH and group 3 highest (41 days). Peak yield was highest for group 1 followed by groups 2 and 3. The groups differed significantly in days to attain peak yield (P<0.05), with highest (46.83) being in group 3 and lowest (20.5) in group 2 animals. It was concluded that the cows which calved with higher body condition lost greater portion of condition score during early lactation and either high or low condition score group cows took more days to attain peak milk yield than the moderate condition score group. Cows with low body condition score had higher serum urea nitrogen and total protein concentration.