The relation of both body dimentional and body condition score with milk yield in lactating Egyptian buffaloes

Document Type : Research articles.

Authors

1 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Egypt

2 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt

Abstract

Twenty Egyptian buffaloes were divided into two groups at the end of the first lactation
season according to their lactation period (LP). The first group (G1) was lactated more than
seven months (225 days on average) and the second group (G2) was lactated less than seven
months (175 days on average). Body measurements were measured three times, at the
beginning of the lactation period, after three months of onset lactation and at the beginning of
the dry period for each buffalo cow. The body condition score (BCS) was measured during
lactating season. BCS system was developed using ultrasonographic measurements of body
fat reserves. The average of total milk yield (TMY) was significantly higher in G1 than that in
G2 by 36.22%. The higher shoulder height was recorded in mid lactation period in G1. There
were significant differences between groups in all skeletal check points. There was a negative
correlation between milk yield and chest circle but there was a positive correlation between
milk yield and ultra-sonographic fat thickness in lumbar vertebrae and chest.

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