Calving body condition score affects indicators of health in grazing dairy cows

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of calving body condition score (BCS) on cow health during the transition period in a pasture-based dairying system. Feed inputs were managed during the second half of the previous lactation so that BCS differed at drying off (BCS 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 for high, medium, and low treatments, respectively: a 10-point scale); feed allowance was managed after cows were dried off, such that the BCS differences established during lactation remained at the subsequent calving (BCS 5.5, 4.5, and 3.5; n=20, 18, and 19, for high, medium, and low treatments, respectively). After calving, cows were allocated pasture and pasture silage to ensure grazing residuals >1,600 kg of DM/ha. Milk production was measured weekly; blood was sampled regularly pre- and postpartum to measure indicators of health, and udder and uterine health were evaluated during the 6 wk after calving. Milk weight, fat, protein, and lactose yields, and fat content increased with calving BCS during the first 6 wk of lactation. The effect of calving BCS on the metabolic profile was nonlinear. Before calving, cows in the low group had lower mean plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and serum Mg concentrations and greater mean serum urea than cows in the medium and high BCS groups, which did not differ from each other. During the 6 wk after calving, cows in the low group had lower serum albumin and fructosamine concentrations than cows in the other 2 treatment groups, whereas cows in the low- and medium-BCS groups had proportionately more polymorphonucleated cells in their uterine secretions at 3 and 5 wk postpartum than high-BCS cows. In comparison, plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations increased linearly in early lactation with calving BCS, consistent with a greater negative energy balance in these cows. Many of the parameters measured did not vary with BCS. The results highlight that calving BCS and, therefore, BCS through early lactation are not effective indicators of functional welfare, with the analyses presented indicating that both low and high BCS at calving will increase the risk of disease: cows in the low group were more prone to reproductive compromise and fatter cows had an increased risk of metabolic diseases. These results are important in defining the welfare consequences of cow BCS.

Effects of precalving body condition score and prepartum feeding level on production, reproduction, and health parameters in pasture-based transition dairy cows

“…Cows in moderate condition at calving (i.e., BCS5) produced more milk but tended to be in a greater negative EBAL in early lactation compared with thinner cows (i.e., BCS4). This positive effect of calving BCS on milk production was predictable (Roche et al, 2009) and the size of the response was consistent with previous reports from grazing (Stockdale, 2001;Roche et al, 2009Roche et al, , 2013 and TMR (Waltner et al, 1993;Domecq et al, 1997) studies. Similarly, the greater BCS and BW loss and the greater circulating NEFA and BHBA in BCS5 cows are consistent with the reported decline in DMI with increasing BCS (Broster and Broster, 1998;Matthews et al, 2012) and the greater milk production.…”

“…Fatter cows mobilize more BCS in early lactation and have reduced DMI and greater liver TAG (Bobe et al, 2004;Roche et al, 2009;Akbar et al, 2015). Consistent with the hypothesis that the effect of precalving level of feeding is dependent on precalving BCS, Roche et al (2013) reported significant effects of calving BCS on cow metabolic profiles. Therefore, it is plausible that the reported effects of feeding less energy precalving are dependent on the BCS of the cow precalving, with fatter cows more likely to benefit from controlled NEFA release prepartum.…”

“…This difference in BCS may be sufficient to create an environment that would benefit to a greater extent from a precalving feed restriction. For example, Gillund et al (2001) reported a doubling of the risk of ketosis at BCS 6.0 compared with BCS 5.5, and Roche et al (2013) reported that 40% of cows calving at BCS 5.5 could be classified as ketotic, whereas no cows calving at BCS 4.5 were ketotic. In the current study, <10% of BCS5 cows would be classified as ketotic using the same criteria as in Roche et al (2013).…”

Incidence of subclinical endometritis and its effects on reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows

“…Also, Dubuc et al (2011) in another study observed that cows with a BCS less than 2.75 were more likely to develop any kind of uterine disease. Roche et al (2013) in their studies about BCS during calving, observed that cows with low and medium BCS had proportionately more polymorphonucleated cells in their uterine secretions at 3 and 5 weeks postpartum than those with high BCS, indicating that both low and medium BCS at calving will increase the risk of uterine disease. Williams et al (2005) concluded that uterine infection also affects ovarian function; however, in this work, the presence or absence of CL had no effect on the incidence of subclinical endometritis.…”

Relationship between the pre- and postpartum body condition scores and periparturient indices and fertility in high-yielding dairy cows

“…The latter are stored in hepatocytes and implicate the development of fatty liver, reduced metabolic function, health status, productivity, and reproductive performance, as well as incidence and severity of metabolic disorders and infectious diseases (2). NEB delays the start of the ovarian activity and reduces the number of oestrus cycles, extending the days open (28). Moreover, a negative energy balance, metabolic diseases, and infections of the uterus are the major weakness of the secretion of luteinising hormone (LH), which affects the dominant follicle maturation and ovulation (9).…”