Optimizing herd performance: The impact of body condition scoring on milk yield dynamics in jersey crossbred dairy cows

Abstract

The study was conducted January to May 2019 at the Livestock Farm Complex, Dairy farm, CSKHPKV, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India to investigate the correlation between BCS and milk yield in Jersey crossbred dairy cows. Utilizing a visual and tactile assessment on a 5-point scale with 0.25-point increments, we conducted a study to elucidate this relationship. Our findings revealed that dairy cows in early lactation stages, characterized by a BCS score of ≤2.5, exhibit higher milk yields compared to those with higher BCS scores (2.75 and ≥3.0). This disparity may be attributed to an accelerated rate of body reserve mobilization in high-yielding cows, leading to a more pronounced loss of body weight during this period. Furthermore, both high and low yielding groups experienced a decline in BCS and milk yield during mid and late lactation. Interestingly, in late lactation, high-yielding cows demonstrated improved BCS relative to their low-yielding counterparts, possibly indicative of a positive energy balance.