RELATIONSHIP OF BODY CONDITION SCORE AND CHANGES IN CONDITION SCORE

WITH HEALTH, REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY

IN NEW YORK HOLSTEIN DAIRY HERDS

M.A. GEARHART, C.R. CURTIS, H.N. ERB, R.D. SMITH,

C.J. SNIFFEN, L.E. CHASE, AND M.D. CCOPER*

Research and field data suggest that body condition, or amount of body fat,
and changes in condition influence health, reproductive performance and
productivity in dairy cows. Rapid loss of body condition after calving may be
associated with a higher incidence of metabolic disorders, impaired fertility and
other health problems. Over-conditioning or fat cow syndrome is associated with
a complex of digestive, metabolic, reproductive, infectious, and systemic
problems at parturition and in the subsequent lactation (Morrow, 1976).
Increased mortality and postpartum complications may occur in caws showing weight
loss during the dry period (Zamet et al., 1979). A reduction in days to first
estrus for increases in body condition score has been reported (Grainger, 1978).
Less efficient dairy cows have more days open and gain body condition during
lactation (Wildman et al., 1982). Body condition score at calving, prebreeding
and peak milk production has been correlated with days to first service and days
open (Braun et al., 1986).

Body condition score is an arbitrary scale for estimating the quantity of

fat reserves in specific anatomical regions. High producing dairy cows must
calve with adequate stored fat to be mobilized to meet the energy requirements of
peak milk production during early lactation. More information is needed on which
to base recommendations for optimal body condition for dairy cows in various
stages of lactation. This paper presents preliminary analyses of the effect of
body condition score (BCS) and changes in BCS during the dry period and early
lactation on disease occurrence, reproductive performance and productivity in
high producing Holstein dairy cows in upstate New York, USA.

METHODS

Dairy cows in 9 herds in the vicinity of Ithaca, New York, were body
condition scored from March 1984 to January 1985 by 1 of 3 scorers every 2 weeks,
from drying off until 150 days in milk (DIM) of the subsequent lactation. The
scoring system was based upon appearance and palpation of the transverse
(spinous) processes (loin), cranial coccygeal vertebrae (tailhead), tuber sacrale
(hooks) and tuber ischii (pin bones) (Wildman et al., 1982). Animals were
condition scored on a 5 point scale (1 = thin, 3 = average, 5 = obese) refined

*Dept. of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

80523 (Gearhart, Curtis); Depts. of Clinical Sciences (Erb) and Animal Science
(Smith, Sniffen, Chase, Cooper), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.

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Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, 1988
Published in Acta Veterinaria Scandinavia, Supplementum 84
Available at www.sciquest.org.nz
 with pluses and minuses. Cows scored between 3- and 3+ were considered to be in
average or good condition. Cows scored < 2+ were considered to be
underconditioned, while those scored > 4- were considered to be averconditioned.
Participating study herds were required to consist of > 35 milking cows, receive
routine herd health services, practice primarily artificial insemination, and
provide access to dry cows for body condition scoring. Disease incidence,
reproductive performance and productivity data were obtained from personal
interviews, and farm and Dairy Herd Improvement Association records as described
elsewhere (Curtis et al., 1985).

Intra- and inter-observer variability in body condition scoring was evaluated

in a prestudy trial; each observer independently scored a group of 100 cows,
twice, in different order. Inter-observer agreement was > 97% within plus or
minus (1/3) body condition score. Therefore, adjustment for scorer in the data
analysis was deemed unnecessary.

Outcomes studied included reproductive diseases (dystocia, retained placenta,

metritis, pyometra, cystic ovaries, abortion), metabolic diseases (milk fever,
ketosis, abomasal displacement), mastitis, and foot problems. Reproductive
parameters studied were days to first service, services per conception, days
open, and first service conception rate. Productivity was measured as 305-day
mature equivalent (ME) 3.5% fat-corrected milk (F 4) production (kg). Body
condition score measures considered were BCS at drying off, calving, and 30, 90,
and 150 DIM, as well as changes in BCS from drying off to calving and from
calving to 30, 90 and 150 DIM.

Relationships of BCS and changes in condition score were examined using

multiple logistic regression with random effects (logistic-binomial regression
for distinguishable data) for the dichotomous outcomes (e.g. reproductive and
metabolic disease, mastitis, foot problems, first service conception and
culling), and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression with fixed effects for the
continuous outcomes (e.g. reproductive performance parameters and 305-day ME 3.5%
FCM production), (Mauritsen, 1984). Variables found significant (p < 0.10) on
data exploration were considered for further multivariable modeling.
Multivariable models were constructed using a stepwise algorithm which assesses
multicollinearity at each step of the algorithm. Entry and removal of variables
was assessed at p = 0.10. Herd (as a random effect in the logistic regression
models and as a fixed effect in the OLS regression models) and lactation number
were adjusted for in all analyses. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence
intervals were estimated for the categorical variables.

RESULTS

Calving BCS data were available on 561 cows. The average number of cows
studied per herd was 62 23 (SD), average days to first service was 79 23,
average number of services per conception was 1.8 1.1, average days open was 97
39, average 305-day ME 3.5% Fri production was 8732 1504 kg, first service
conception rate was 44%, and the median (range) lactation number was 3 (1-11).
Disease incidence rates were dystocia 9.9%, retained fetal membranes 10.3%,
metritis 7.5%, cystic ovaries 9.3%, mastitis 13.0%, and milk fever 9.1%.
Combined incidence rates were metabolic diseases 10.5%, reproductive disorders
29.1%, and foot problems 3.9%.

Cows gaining condition from drying off to calving were less likely to develop
dystocia and were less likely to be culled in the subsequent lactation. Cows
overconditioned at drying off were 2.5 times more likely to develop cystic

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Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, 1988
Published in Acta Veterinaria Scandinavia, Supplementum 84
Available at www.sciquest.org.nz
ovarian disease and 2.8 times more likely to develop reproductive problems
compared to cows in good condition. Cows overconditioned at drying off were 7.0
times more prone to foot problems after calving compared to cows in good
condition. Cows underconditioned at drying off were 74.4 times more likely to
develop foot problems compared to cows in good condition.

Cows overconditioned at calving had fewer services per conception (1.3 vs

1.9) and were 9 times more likely to conceive at first service compared to cows
in good condition. Cows overconditioned at 30 days post partum were more likely
to have metritis and had an increase in days to first service compared to average
condition cows (114 vs 79, respectively). Cows gaining condition between calving
and 90 days post partum were more likely to conceive at first service. There was
no direct effect of BCS or changes in condition score on days open. There was no
effect of BCS at calving or changes in BCS with 305-day ME 3.5% FCM production.
The effect of BCS or changes in condition score on milk fever, mastitis and
retained placenta was not significant.

DISCUSSION

High producing dairy cows are subject to increased stress and consequently,
increased risk of reproductive and health problems. Body condition scoring of
cows during the production cycle provides dairymen an opportunity to monitor and
manage high producing cows by observing body reserves relative to changes in
health, reproductive performance and productivity. The ideal body condition for
cows during each stage of lactation is that which optimizes milk production,
minimizes health and reproductive disorders, and maximizes economic returns.

Since cows gain weight more efficiently during late lactation than during the
dry period, BCS at drying off should be the same as that desired at calving. The
protective effect against dystocia and culling for cows gaining (not losing)
condition in the dry period in this study likely reflects feeding management
aimed at putting weight on cows failing to attain optimum condition prior to
drying off. Cows overconditioned at drying off were at increased risk for
reproductive and lameness problems in the subsequent lactation, evidence in
support of avoiding obesity or excessive body condition. The marked increased
risk of developing foot problems for cows underconditioned at drying off
represents a small sample (N = 3). From personal observation, dairymen are less
likely to cull high producing cows despite lameness. Lame cows have an increased
probability of the same lesion recurring in the next lactation (Rowlands et al.,
1986). For the lactation previous to this study, least squares mean 305-day ME
milk production (kg) was 9249 461 (SE) for cows developing foot problems in the
subsequent lactation and 8448 91 (p = .08) for cows without foot problems
during the study period. The energy demands of high production and the obvious
adverse effects of lameness on feed consumption could predispose such cows to
underconditioning.

The "apparent" benefit to cows overconditioned at calving on first service

conception rate and services per conception fails to consider any indirect
effects of BCS or changes in condition score on days open. Cows overconditioned
at 30 days post partum, classically a period of negative energy balance or weight
loss, were at increased risk of metritis and increased days to first service.
Cows overconditioned at drying off, calving and 30 DIM in fact had more
reproductive disorders and more days open than cows in average body condition.
Path analysis methods would facilitate modeling the true indirect effects of
overconditioning on days open through increased risk of reproductive problems.

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Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, 1988
Published in Acta Veterinaria Scandinavia, Supplementum 84
Available at www.sciquest.org.nz
 Disease incidence data in this study include farmer and veterinarian
diagnosed clinical entities, but do not assess the level of subclinical disease
(e.g. mastitis or ketosis) in the population. Clinical problems typically occur
in only a small proportion of cows in high producing, well managed dairy herds.
Small sample size and the lack of power to detect a difference, may in part
account for the lack of significant associations between BCS or changes in
condition score and other variables. These field data obtained from commercial
dairy producers, however, support current recommendations against
overconditioning dairy cows at any stage of lactation.

In summary, BCS is related to health and performance in dairy cows. Body

condition scoring cows on a regular basis can aid in fine tuning rations,
grouping strategies and overall feeding management, as well as aid in optimizing
productivity and preventing health and reproductive problems. At calving, cows
must be in optimum condition to meet the challenge and stress of high production.
Results of this study suggest that New York State Cooperative Extension Service
recommendations that caws dry off and calve in a slightly overconditioned state
(4-), may not be realistic for achieving optimum performance (Perkins et al.,
1985). Both overconditioning and underconditioning cows should be avoided.

REFERENCES

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Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, 1988
Published in Acta Veterinaria Scandinavia, Supplementum 84
Available at www.sciquest.org.nz