Almost everyone is familiar with the “fat cow syndrome” and all the problems that can accompany it: - calving problems, milk fever, retained placentas, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum, and downer cow syndrome. Most of these problems can be avoided if cows are fed balanced late lactation and dry-cow rations and calve at an optimum body condition. Recent research at Cornell University done by Dr. Brian Perkins, Dr. Dave Smith, and Dr. Charlie Sniffen indicates that body condition (degree of fatten ing) can influence a dairy cow’s production, reproduction, and health. The purpose of these bam meetings is to show dairymen how to monitor the y— body condition of their cows and to provide recommendations for optimum „ _ r r Figure 2. The amoung of flesh covering the body condition scores at various stages of lactation. theloinreglon " >••••••••••••••••••*•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••« Dr. Brian Perkins, Ph.D. is Manager of Dairy and Livestock Nutrition for Pennfield Corporation. He is a graduate of Cornell University where he specializ ed in Reproductive Physiology and Ruminant Nutrition. »•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • Body Condition - Milk Production & Reproduction . How To Score Your Herd • How To Determine Body Condition Pa. 1-800-732-0467 Md. 1-800-233-0202 Body Condition.- Barn Meetings FEATURED SPEAKER AGENDA Meeting Lasts Approximately One Hour Date . Dav July 29 Mon Elizabethtown, PA July 30 Tues Gettysburg, PA July 30 Tues Wed July 31 July 31 Wed. Aug. 1 Thurs Monroeville, N. J Aug. 13 Tues Newville, PA . Aug. 13 Tues Wed Aug. 14 Aug. 14 Wed Pennfield • Scoring Cows • Questions And Answers MEETING LOCATIONS Location Littlestown, PA Monkton, MD Ellicott City, MD Shippensburg, PA. Collinsville, PA TO MAKE RCSemmHS CAU pennfield feeds Jim Eller J. Shephard Wolff John Stoltzfus Lonnie Robinson Ramsay Cooper Quality - Performance - Service Farm Ken Myer John Hess Bob Gitt Ross Smith Bernard Feaga Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 20,1985-A5 f* Chmc —t- Lmn K U inp"-i (W^ I ® !****!* 1/*' f hurl Figure 1. The areas of particular interest when body condition scoring a cow include the loin, backbone, hooks, pins, and the area between the hooks and pins Time 10:00A.M 10:00 A.M 1:00 P.M 10:00 A.M 1:00 P.M 10:00 A.M 10:00 A.M 1:00 P.M, 10:00 A.M 1:00 P.M , 1 oil head »horl ribs Tail licud