Research combines years of results

Chris McCullough For Agri-View
May 25, 2023
May 25, 2023

Dairy cows at feed bunk in barn — Research says body-condition score is a better tool for monitoring energy balance than live weight, and that fat-to-protein ratio is strongly related to energy balance.
Chris McCullough/For Agri-View

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Chris McCullough For Agri-View

Dairy cows experience negative energy balances at times, which can affect their production and fertility. But a new look at the reasons behind that has just been undertaken.

kAmqJ 4@>3:?:?8 E96 C6DF=ED 7C@> >F=E:A=6 D6ED @7 C6D62C49 5FC:?8 E96 A2DE b_ J62CD[ E96 p8C:\u@@5 2?5 q:@D4:6?46D x?DE:EFE6 :? }@CE96C? xC6=2?5 – puqx – 92D 366? 23=6 E@ 96=A 72C>6CD F?56CDE2?5 4@>A=6I 3:@=@8:42= DJDE6>D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 67764ED @7 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46D]k^Am

kAmuC@> E9:D 2AAC@249 puqx 92D C6=62D65 E96 67764ED @7 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46D @? 52:CJ 4@HD] %96 C6D62C49 3@5J D2JD 3@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C6 :D 2 36EE6C E@@= 7@C >@?:E@C:?8 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E92? =:G6 H6:89E[ 2?5 E92E 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ :D DEC@?8=J C6=2E65 E@ 6?6C8J 32=2?46]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mt?6C8J 32=2?46 6IA=2:?65k^DEC@?8mpuqx D2JD 4@HD ?@C>2==J 6?E6C 2 A6C:@5 @7 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46 :? 62C=J =24E2E:@?] %92E’D 5F6[ :? A2CE[ E@ E96 >:=<\J:6=5 A@E6?E:2= @7 52:CJ 4@HD 92G:?8 :?4C62D65 – H9:=6 E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ 4@?DF>6 DF77:4:6?E 7@@5 E@ DFAA@CE E92E 6IEC2 >:=< 92D ?@E :?4C62D65 2E E96 D2>6 C2E6]k^Am

kAmsFC:?8 A6C:@5D @7 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E96 4@H FD6D 96C 3@5J\72E C6D6CG6D E@ DFDE2:? 96C >:=< AC@5F4E:@?j E92E’D C67=64E65 :? 2 =@DD @7 3@5J 4@?5:E:@?] tI46DD:G6 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46[ DF49 2D 4@HD 364@>:?8 G6CJ E9:?[ 42? =625 E@ 962=E9 AC@3=6>D 2?5 A@@C 76CE:=:EJ]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m#6D62C496CD E2<6 7@C6?D:4 =@@<k^DEC@?8m$4:6?E:DED 2E puqx[ E@86E96C H:E9 &?:G6CD:EJ r@==686\sF3=:? 2?5 \%6282D4[ 4@>3:?65 2?5 2?2=JK65 :?5:G:5F2= 4@H C6DF=ED 7C@> af 6IA6C:>6?ED :?G@=G:?8 2 E@E2= @7 `[ba` 4@HD] %96 :?7@C>2E:@? 92D 366? FD65 E@ 6I2>:?6 724E@CD :?7=F6?4:?8 E96 6?6C8J 32=2?46 @7 4@HD[ 2?5 E@ 6I2>:?6 E96 FD6 @7 >:=< 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ 2D 2? :?5:42E@C @7 6?6C8J 32=2?46]k^Am

kAm|:=< J:6=5D ?@C>2==J A62< 2E 23@FE 7:G6 E@ D6G6? H66<D 27E6C 42=G:?8[ H9:=6 :?E2<6D 5@?’E ?@C>2==J A62< F?E:= `_ E@ `b H66<D 27E6C 42=G:?8] %92E 5:776C6?46 :? E96 E:>:?8 @7 A62< >:=< J:6=5D 2?5 A62< :?E2<6D 96=AD 6IA=2:? H9J 4@HD 6?E6C ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46] qFE :?4C62D:?8 E96 BF2=:EJ 2?5 ?FEC:6?E 56?D:EJ @7 E96 5:6E 42? 2==@H 4@HD E@ 92G6 36EE6C ?FEC:6?E :?E2<6D[ 2?5 2D DF49[ C65F46 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E@ D@>6 6IE6?E] pD 6IA64E65[ 3@E9 >:=< J:6=5D 2?5 :?E2<6D :?4C62D6 H:E9 :?4C62D:?8 =24E2E:@? ?F>36CD]k^Am

kAm{:G6 H6:89ED ?@C>2==J 564C62D6 5FC:?8 E96 7:CDE 7:G6 H66<D 27E6C 42=G:?8[ 367@C6 368:??:?8 E@ :?4C62D6 282:?] qFE 3@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C6 ?@C>2==J 4@?E:?F6D E@ 564C62D6 F?E:= 23@FE `_ E@ `d H66<D 27E6C 42=G:?8]k^Am

kAmr@HD ?@C>2==J C6>2:? :? ?682E:G6 32=2?46 F?E:= 23@FE `_ E@ `d H66<D 27E6C 42=G:?8] %92E 9:89=:89ED E92E 3@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C6 :D 2 >F49 36EE6C :?5:42E@C @7 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E92? =:G6 H6:89E]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Lifelong cowboy continues team roping career at 87
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Seasonal supply squeeze drives sheep, goat prices
Rooted in dairy, driven by data
Get better hay, returns with small changes
Cattlemen answer the call with hay convoy to wildfire-stricken Nebraska
Laws restrict foreign land owners
EPA makes latest attempt to define WOTUS
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
Unexpected discovery leads to potential pollination control mechanism
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term

kAmr@?5F4E:?8 3@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C:?8 42? AC@G:56 72C>6CD H:E9 FD67F= :?7@C>2E:@? E@ 96=A >2?286 E96 6?6C8J DE2EFD @7 E96:C 96C5D] !62< ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46 :D ?@C>2==J @3D6CG65 2E H66<D EH@ E@ E9C66 A@DE\42=G:?8[ H9:=6 @=56C 4@HD 6IA6C:6?46 2 >@C6\?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E92? J@F?86C 4@HD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mr@?D:56C >:=<\BF2=:EJ DE2EDk^DEC@?8mq@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C:?8 42? 36 E:>6\ 4@?DF>:?8j >@DE 72C>6CD 5@?’E 5@ :E C68F=2C=J] r@?D6BF6?E=J E96C6’D 2 C6D62C49 :?E6C6DE :? :56?E:7J:?8 2=E6C?2E:G6 :?5:42E@CD @7 2 4@H’D 6?6C8J 32=2?46]k^Am

kAm~?6 :?5:42E@C E92E >:89E 36 FD65 :D E96 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ @7 >:=<] %92E C2E:@ :D 56E6C>:?65 3J 5:G:5:?8 E96 72E A6C46?E286 @7 >:=< 3J :ED AC@E6:? A6C46?E286] u@C 6I2>A=6[ :7 2 4@H AC@5F46D >:=< H:E9 2 72E 4@?E6?E @7 c]a A6C46?E 2?5 2 AC@E6:? 4@?E6?E @7 b]b A6C46?E[ E96 >:=< H:== 92G6 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ @7 `]af]k^Am

kAm|:=< 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ :D 2=C625J FD65 3J ?FEC:E:@?:DED 2D 2? 62C=J :?5:42E@C @7 ?FEC:E:@?2= AC@3=6>D[ H:E9 E96 C2E:@ C67=64E:?8 2? “:>32=2?46” :? >:=< 72E 2?5 AC@E6:? =6G6=D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ H96? 4@HD >@3:=:K6 3@5J 72E :? 62C=J =24E2E:@?[ D@>6 @7 E96 72E >@G6D :?E@ E96 4@H’D >:=< D@ 96C >:=<\72E A6C46?E286 :?4C62D6D]k^Am

kAm$:>:=2C=J[ H96? 4@HD 2C6 567:4:6?E :? 6?6C8J[ >:=<\AC@E6:? =6G6=D E6?5 E@ 564C62D6] r@HD H:E9 2 9:89 C2E:@ >2J 36 2E 2? :?4C62D65 C:D< @7 <6E@D:D] r@HD H:E9 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@? @7 8C62E6C E92? `]d 2C6 2DDF>65 E@ 36 “>6E23@=:42==J 2E C:D<]”k^Am

kAmpuqx 92D C6D62C49 E92E D9@HD 2D 6?6C8J 32=2?46 364@>6D >@C6 ?682E:G6[ E96 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ @7 >:=< :?4C62D6D] r@HD H:E9 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ 8C62E6C E92? `]d 2=>@DE 2== 92G6 2 ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46] %96C67@C6 C6D62C496CD DF886DE E92E 4@HD H:E9 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ 8C62E6C E92? `]d 2C6 >6E23@=:42==J 492==6?865]k^Am

kAmqFE E96C6 :D 2=D@ >F49 G2C:2E:@? H:E9:? E96 52E2] u@C 6I2>A=6 >2?J 4@HD H:E9 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ 36EH66? ` 2?5 `]d H6C6 2=D@ :? ?682E:G6 6?6C8J 32=2?46[ H9:=6 2 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ H:E9:? E92E C2?86 H@F=5 ?@E ?646DD2C:=J 36 4@?D:56C65 E@ 9:89=:89E 4@HD E92E 2C6 2E\C:D<]k^Am

kAmq2D65 @? E92E 2?2=JD:D[ >:=< 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ 2=@?6 42??@E 36 FD65 E@ 244FC2E6=J AC65:4E E96 6?6C8J 32=2?46 @7 :?5:G:5F2= 4@HD] x?DE625[ 2D 4FCC6?E=J FD65 3J ?FEC:E:@?:DED[ :E 92D 2 C@=6 2D 2? 62C=J :?5:42E@C @7 2? :>32=2?46 :? ?FEC:E:@? – 6DA64:2==J H96? 4@?D:56C65 H:E9:? E96 4@?E6IE @7 @E96C 5:6E 2?5 96C5 724E@CD]k^Am

kAm#6D62C496CD 4@?4=F565 E92E 3@5J\4@?5:E:@? D4@C6 :D 2 36EE6C E@@= 7@C >@?:E@C:?8 6?6C8J 32=2?46 E92? =:G6 H6:89E[ 2?5 E92E 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ :D DEC@?8=J C6=2E65 E@ 6?6C8J 32=2?46] qFE E96 DEF5J 92D 2=D@ 56>@?DEC2E65 E96 =:>:E2E:@?D @7 FD:?8 72E\E@\AC@E6:? C2E:@ E@ AC65:4E E96 6?6C8J 32=2?46 @7 :?5:G:5F2= 4@HD]k^Am

kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%9:D :D 2? @C:8:?2= 2CE:4=6 HC:EE6? 7@C p8C:\':6H[ 2 {66 t?E6CAC:D6D 28C:4F=EFC2= AF3=:42E:@? 32D65 :? |25:D@?[ (:D4@?D:?] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^28C:G:6H]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmp8C:':6H]4@>k^2m 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am

Chris McCullough mug as of July 2025 — Chris McCullough

With 20 years experience behind him, award-winning agricultural journalist Chris McCullough is always on the hunt for his next story. He grew up on the family dairy farm in the heart of Northern Ireland and is based on the country’s east coast. He travels around the world to bring readers international news.