IMPACT OF LATE DRY COW BODY CONDITION ON 2ND TEST MILK IN A LARGE WESTERN DAIRY

A retrospective study on the impact late dry cow body condition has on second test milk using standard measuring methods utilized by commerc ial dairies was conducted. An increase in second test milk or ''peak m ilk'' has been closely related to increase in overall milk produced in lactation. The goal of the study was to determine if mean late dry co w body condition can be used as a predictor of the production performa nce as measured by the mean second test milk. Animals were arbitrarily selected to be body condition scored. A mean body condition score for each lactation and dry cow interval was calculated. The standard devi ation, maximum and minimum body condition score, and number of animals body condition scored in each lactation and dry cow interval were com puted. These values were determined for each month's body condition sc oring related to the late dry cows. Milk weights were reported on a mo nthly basis. The graph of the means reveals an increase or decrease in mean late dry cow body condition reflecting a similar change in mean second milk test as measured by standard on-farm devices; however, due to a large standard deviation in monthly milk weights, this trend cou ld not be demonstrated in the statistical analysis used in the study. The analysis revealed that in only two of the nine monthly comparisons were there significant differences in the change in both mean late dr y cow body condition and mean second milk test when compared to adjace nt months. Further study should be promoted to determine better techni ques that can be used in commercial setting to determine if there is a relationship between late dry cow body condition and second test milk .