New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Relationship between body condition score and body composition in dairy cows

N. G. GREGORY*
J. K. ROBINS
D. G. THOMAS
R. W. PURCHAS

Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand

*Present address: MIRINZ, P.O. Box 617, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Abstract  The relationship between body condition score and physically dissected body composition was assessed in forty cull Friesian and Friesian-cross cows. Body condition score was assessed using the New Zealand condition scoring system which is based on the contours of the cow from its hooks to its hocks. Measurements following slaughter included the weights of the udder, kidney knob and channel fat, omental fat, and mesenteric fat, the post-mortem thickness of the dewlap, the dentition, and carcass length. The proportions of dissectible fat, muscle, and bone were assessed in a 10-11-12 rib joint. Over the range of 1.4 to 8.0, condition score was positively related to the weight of the internal fat depots, the proportion of fat in the sample joint, and the muscle to bone ratio in the sample joint. Between condition scores 1 and 3 the cows had limited body fat reserves. Dewlap thickness provided a good estimation of body fatness.

Keywords  body condition score; dairy cows; body composition; fat; emaciation

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 527-532

0028-8233/98/4104-0527 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1998

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (511K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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