TITLE:
Importance of Body Condition Scoring in Reproductive Performance of Dairy Cows: A Review
AUTHORS:
Sayed Ahmad Nazhat, Amanullah Aziz, Jahid Zabuli, Shahpoor Rahmati
KEYWORDS:
Reproduction, BCS, Fertility, Cows
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
Vol.11 No.7,
July
28,
2021
ABSTRACT: Body
condition score (BCS) is a subjective method of assessing the amount of
metabolizable energy stored in fat and muscle (body reserves) on a live animal.
Body condition scores provide an indication of the energy status of dairy
cattle. It can be used on both heifers and cows, although primarily they are
used on the lactating dairy herd. Adjusting
the nutritional program to obtain desired body condition at different stages of
production is necessary to enhance production efficiency. Females that are too
thin or too fat can be an expensive investment. Nutritional
management is the most crucial one and is a key factor for normal production
and reproduction cycle. Thus, it could
be used as a management and selection tool to improve reproductive performance
in dairy cows.