Jan 23, 2023 · If cows are too fat at dry-off (BCS > 3.75) it is best to keep them from losing BCS during the dry period. Thin cows (BCS < 3.0) may benefit from extra energy in the first three weeks of the dry period.

Body condition is a good reflection of the match or mismatch of a cow’s genetic potential to the forage and management system. The BCS system used for beef cows ranges from 1 to 9, with a score of 1 reflecting cows that are emaciated and a score of 9 reflecting cows that are obese.

Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is a method to monitor dairy cow health and productivity. This page provides a guide on how to carry out BCS, highlighting specific body parts to check, including the backbone, ribs, hip bones, and more.

Feeding Dry Cows for BCS Gain. Compared with a lactating cow, a dry cow gains BCS more efficiently because she does not have the energy demand of milk production and has lower activity and maintenance requirements. Different feeds …

Feb 24, 2020 · Using the 5-point scale, cows at or above a 3.5 BCS at calving are more susceptible to metabolic disorders and mobilize more fat after calving. Late lactation BCS should be around 3.25 at dry off. There is research out of Illinois that found overfeeding energy for an 8-week period can lead to excessive internal fat and be harmful to cows.

Oct 13, 2022 · Cows entering the dry period with a high BCS of over 3.5 are at risk for reduced dry matter intakes (DMI) at calving, which can lead to an increased risk of metabolic diseases and dystocia. On the contrary, cows with too low a BCS, of less than 2.5, can also have increased health risks, lower-quality colostrum and immunosuppression.

Dec 27, 2024 · The goal of the dry cow period is to ensure that the cows are calving down healthy with an optimum BCS of 3.0 to 3.25 with healthy udders and low somatic cell count (SCC). The majority of issues that arise from the calving period can often be traced back to the dry or transition period of the cows.

Oct 19, 2020 · Body condition scoring (BCS) is a simple and powerful technique that, by evaluating the thickness of subcutaneous fat and therefore its mobilization, evaluates animals’ energy balance, which is highly associated with health and performance.

In higher input systems, where dry cows are well fed on a mixture of pasture and supplement, cows that are BCS 4.5 or better only require 50-60 days dry; cows that are BCS 4.0 or below need around 80-90 days dry. Use the tool below to calculate dry …

Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is a method to monitor the health and productivity of dairy cows by assessing their body fat. This page provides a guide on how to carry out BCS, highlighting specific body parts to check, including the backbone, ribs, hip bones, and more. View the videos further down the page to better understand the scoring process.