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A note on the potential conjoint use of body condition scores and milk protein concentrations as an index of dietary adequacy in lactating dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. C. Balch  and
A. Argamenteria Gutierrez
C. C. Balch
Affiliation:
Departmento de Nutricion Animal, Centro de Experimentation Agraria, 33300, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
A. Argamenteria Gutierrez
Affiliation:
Departmento de Nutricion Animal, Centro de Experimentation Agraria, 33300, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
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Abstract

The relationships between values for milk protein content (MP) and body condition score (BSC) were compared on a group of 30 farms in western Asturias, northern Spain during the autumn of1990. There was a marked positive relationship (P < 0·01) in between-farm variation in the two factors; a similar relationship has been reported from experiments in Scotland. It is suggested that an index based on the deviation of values for MP and BCS from normal or mean values might be useful, especially in advisory work, to indicate rapidly the dietary energy adequacy on individual frms. However, note would have to be taken of the known changes in MP and BCS with, for example, age of cow and stage of lactation

Keywords

body condition scoredairy cowsmilk protein yield
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , December 1992 , pp. 437 - 439
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1992

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References

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