DEVELOPMENT AND ULTRASONIC ASSESSMENT OF THE PRECISION OF BODY CONDITION SCORE (BCS) SYSTEM AS A PREDICTOR FOR PRODUCTION, REPRODUCTION AND HEALTH PERFORMANCE OF MURRAH BUFFALOES
| dc.contributor.advisor | SARJAN RAO, K (Major) | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | SURESH, J | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | MOORTHY, P.R.S | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | KOTI LINGA REDDY, Y | |
| dc.contributor.author | ANITHA, A | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-12-22T10:17:04Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-12-22T10:17:04Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2009-02 | |
| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT: Body Condition Score (BCS) system is a subjective scoring method of evaluating the energy reserves of dairy animals which provide the better understanding of biological relationship between body fat, milk production and reproduction that helps in adopting the optimum managemental practices to derive maximum production and maintain better health status. In the present study new BCS system was developed for Murrah buffaloes. The skeletal check points were identified by spotting out the anatomical features which enabled to assess the fat reserves easily and by measuring the amount of fat reserves in slaughtered animals. The scores were assigned in a 1 to 5 scale based on the amount of fat reserves in slaughtered animals. The skeletal check points identified were kept in order based on the amount of carcass fat reserves and scores assigned to prepare preliminary BCS chart in a 1 to 5 scale using 0.25 increments. The BCS chart was further modified by correcting the demerits and a new BCS chart in a 1 to 5 scale using 0.5 increments examining eight skeletal check points was developed. BCS was assigned using the chart developed and the new BCS system developed was found to be precise and consistent. The new BCS system developed was subjected for precision in 10 buffaloes for each point of the 1-5 scale by ultrasonographic measurements of body fat reserves. The ultrasonographic measurements showed that the fat reserves were higher at the point between tail head to pins and as the BCS increased the amount of fat reserves also increased indicating that BCS adequately reflected in the amount of actual fat reserves. BCS was significantly correlated (0.86) with the carcass fat reserves as well as ultrasonographic fat reserves (0.85) and ultrasonography has the potential to determine fat thickness with a high degree of accuracy. The effect of BCS at calving on the reproductive performance studied in 24 buffaloes in a 4 x 6 CRD showed that increase in body weight of 80.33 kg was observed for every one unit increase of BCSc between BCSc groups of 2.5 – 2.99 and 3.5 – 3.99 and 82.34 kg between BCSc groups of 3.0 – 3.49 and 4.0 – 4.49. Buffaloes of BCSc above 3.5 with significantly (P < 0.01) higher body weights showed better reproductive performance compared to buffaloes of BCSc groups below 3.5 with less body weights. The prepartum and weekly postpartum changes in BCS studied showed that the buffaloes gained a BCS of 0.57 from 3 months prepartum to one week prepartum, lost 0.17 BCS due to calving, further showed a decline in BCS upto 9 weeks of postpartum and then started regaining BCS gradually until 18 weeks postpartum. The mean LBCS over the period of 18 weeks postpartum was comparatively higher (0.75 ± 0.05) than BCS restored in the early lactation which was shown as GBCS (0.34 ± 0.02). The difference of 0.41 units between LBCS and GBCS was observed over a period of 18 weeks postpartum. Buffaloes of BCSc group 3.5 – 3.99 showed the best reproduction performance among the four BCSc groups with less postpartum estrus period (46.66 days), service period (58.83 days), number of service per conception (1.50) and high rate of 1st service conception (66.66%) followed by the BCSc groups of 4.0 – 4.49, 3.0 – 3.49 and 2.5 – 2.99. Buffaloes should have the target condition scores of minimum BCS of 3.25-3.5 at three months prepartum, 3.5-3.99 at calving, 2.75 to 3.0 at around 8 weeks postpartum and 3.0 to 3.25 by 18 weeks postpartum so that they can show good reproductive performance. The resumption of ovarian activity was observed at mean values of 47.25 ± 2.39, 42.0 ± 2.91, 29.33 ± 3.33 and 39.33 ± 4.21 days for the BCSc groups of 2.5 – 2.99, 3.0 – 3.49, 3.5 – 3.99 and 4.0 – 4.49 respectively. Buffaloes of BCSc group 3.5 – 3.99 showed significantly (P < 0.05) earlier resumption of ovarian activity. The breeding efficiency was significantly (P < 0.01) higher for buffaloes of BCSc group 3.5 – 3.99. The monthly postpartum changes in BCS showed that BCS decreased from calving to two months of lactation and then gradually increased. Inverse relationship was observed between monthly BCS and milk yield. The lactation curve characteristics studied in relation to BCSc in 40 buffaloes in a 4 x 10 CRD, showed that the milk production increased from calving until two months of lactation, reaching peak production and then gradually showed a decline for all the BCSc groups of the test herd. The total milk yield upto 18 weeks of lactation was higher for the BCSc group of 3.5 - 3.99. For every one unit increase in BCSc, an increase of 395.27 kg in the 18 weeks lactation yield was observed. But as the BCSc exceeded 3.99 a decrease in milk yield was noticed. The predicted lactation yield was higher for the BCSc group of 3.5-3.99. For every one unit increase in BCSc an increase of 759.55 kg was observed in the predicted lactation yield. But as the BCSc exceeded 3.99 the predicted yield showed a decline. The peak milk yield was higher for the BCSc group 3.5-3.99. For every one unit increase in BCSc, an increase of 4.57 kg of peak yield was noticed. Further, the peak yield and persistency index showed a decrease as BCSc exceeded 3.99. For every one unit increase in BCSc an increase of milk fat per cent of 1.8 and 2.0 was observed at 6-8 weeks and 16-18 weeks after calving, respectively. For every one unit increase in BCSc an increase of milk protein / SNF of 0.55 and 0.54 was observed at 6-8 weeks and 16-18 weeks after calving respectively. As the BCS increased from 6-8 weeks after calving to 16-18 weeks after calving the milk components i.e., fat, protein and SNF showed an increasing trend. Buffaloes of BCS below 3.5 were more prone to mastitis, anoestrum and retained placenta indicating that thin buffaloes in negative energy balance were more susceptible to health disorders. | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | DEPARTMENT OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT, COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SCIENCE, SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY, TIRUPATI – 517 502 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/92035 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, TIRUPATI – 517 502,A.P | en_US |
| dc.sub | Levestock Production Management | |
| dc.subject | BODY CONDITION SCORE; BCS; MURRAH BUFFALOES; | en_US |
| dc.these.type | Ph.D | |
| dc.title | DEVELOPMENT AND ULTRASONIC ASSESSMENT OF THE PRECISION OF BODY CONDITION SCORE (BCS) SYSTEM AS A PREDICTOR FOR PRODUCTION, REPRODUCTION AND HEALTH PERFORMANCE OF MURRAH BUFFALOES | en_US |
| dc.title.alternative | Ph.D;CVSc;TPTY; Acc No:T1274 | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |