Automatic monitoring of body condition score of high yielding Holstein cows using three-dimensional imaging technique

Abstract

Body condition scoring (BCS) refers to the relative amount of subcutaneous body fat or energy reserve in the dairy cow. BCS is an important management tool for maximizing milk production and reproductive efficiency while reducing the incidence of metabolic and other peripartum diseases. The three-dimensional BCS camera, made by the Swedish company "DeLaval" was used in the research. This camera is connected to the cow identification system. According to the camera location place, the cow is evaluated 2 to 10 times per day. The obtained information is sent to the computer. DeLaval 3D camera has been developed for three different cow breed types. The research was done at the Latvia University of Agriculture research and study farm "Vecauce" and the results of 10 primiparous and 10 multiparous Holstein breed cows in the robotic voluntary milking system were analysed. The data were collected from February to December 2016. The research shows that milking cow BCS during 120 lactation days was reduced from 3.5 till 2.7 units and the correlation among the parameters average tight (r = - 0.72). The research cows were with a high productivity, in 120 lactation days it was 41.7 kg in average. The largest BCS during 120 lactation days was noticed to primiparous cows and the correlation between the BCS and milk yield was r = -0.71. The parameters among older lactation cow BCS and yielding were less (r = -0.22). The fastest increase of all age cows has been in the first lactation month, where the milk yield increase of primiparous cows was 13.5 %, but the BCS decrease was 5.7 %. The milk yield increase of multiparous cows was 10 %, but the BCS decrease was 5.7 %. Primiparous cows, which become pregnant in the first insemination time, were inseminated in the 89 ± 8.9 day and their BCS was 3.0 ± 0.12 units. Multiparous cows, which become pregnant, were inseminated in the 84 ± 3.5 lactation day and their BCS was 2.7 ± 0.3 units.