Productive, reproductive and bioenergetic characteristics of cows with different body condition score

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the influence of fattening of dairy cows body condition score on reproductive traits, productivity and bioenergetic indicators. The research was conducted during May-August 2021 in the conditions of the Terezine of the Vilnotarasivske branch (Kyiv region). The values of average monthly temperatures were within the limits of thermoneutrality for cows of dairy breeds. Three groups of second-lactation cows were formed for the study. The first group (n=14) included animals with a fatness score of 2.0 to 3.0 points, and the second group (n=24) with a score of 3.0 to 3.75 points and to the III-rd group (n=15) – 4 and above points. Assessment of fatness in groups of animals was carried out during the period of deep body. The productivity of cows during the first 120 days of lactation was determined using computer records and the DelPro program. Cows of the II group had a somewhat shorter dry period (by 3 and 1 day) compared to animals of the I and III groups. The shortest service period was observed in the first group of cows – 164 days, which is 7 and 24 days less than in animals of the second and third groups, respectively. Cows of the II group had the highest average daily productivity during each of the first 4 months of lactation (120 days). At the same time, productivity was the lowest in cows of the III group, and intermediate values were observed in the animals of the I group. At the same time, cows of the III-rd group had the lowest productivity during the same period. Analyzing the bioenergetic characteristics of cows of different levels of fatness, it was established that the highest rate of net energy expenditure for the production of 1 kg of 4 % milk was in cows of the IIIrd group – 3.71 MJ, and the lowest in animals of the IInd group – 3.49 MJ. Research results showed that cows of different fattening levels before calving had high energy indices – from 50.25 to 53.99 %, productive – from 0.260 to 0.286 kg for specific net energy loss from 1.852 to 1.988 MJ per 1 MJ of milk energy. Key words: dairy cows, fatness, productivity, reproduction, bioenergetic characteristics.