Comparison of two alternative methods of dairy cattle energy reserve assessment with body condition scoring

Emma Wright, A T Chamberlain, Andrew Bates, Marnie Brennan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

Abstract

Reliable techniques for estimating energy reserves in cattle are essential for producers and veterinarians. In this study, manual body condition scoring (BCS) was compared with two more quantifiable methods of estimating energy reserves in dairy cattle, namely ultrasonic measurement of backfat thickness (US) and a bespoke profile gauge (PG). Results from 115 cows showed that US and PG measurements were both related to BCS. Further work is required to determine whether either method replaces body condition scoring as the recommended on-farm method.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)54
Number of pages1
JournalCattle Practice
Volume22
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2014

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