Importance of Body Condition Score for Milk Production Traits in Peranakan Etawah Goats

Abstract

Body condition score (BCS) is critical measure of dairy animal. Adequate body fat  promotes milk production, reproductive and herd longevity. This study was conducted to investigate body condition score (BCS, scale 1 to 5) and its association with milk production traits in Peranakan Etawah (PE) goats.  A total of 108 multiparous does were divided into five groups based on the BCS (BCS 2, n=21; BCS 2.5 n=44; BCS 3 n=35, BCS 3.5 n=6; BCS 4 n=2). BCS was measured during early lactation, while milk production was during the first 90 days of lactation and adjusted the energy corrected milk (ECM). Milk protein and fat contents were measured biweekly within the first 90 days. The result indicated a significant association between BCS and milk production (p<0.01), and milk protein (p<0.05), nevertheless it was not associated with milk fat. Average milk production for respective BCS groups was 1088.67±260.16; 1168.69±328.98; 1455.15±465.28, 1568.30±340.15 and 1614.56±396.60 mlECM/day. Increased BCS at early lactation was associated with a higher milk production. In contrast, BCS was negatively associated with protein content (%) in milk (3.41±0.40; 3.21±0.30; 3.22±0.16; 3.13±0.09 and 2.85±0.02) for respective BCS groups. The conclusion, the BCS was an important indicator to predict the milk production traits in Peranakan Etawah goats and BCS can be used as a marker for milk production and milk quality.

Keywords: BCS; milk protein; milk fat; lactation; Indonesian goat.