A comparison of an automated body condition scoring system from DeLaval with manual, non-automated, method.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of an automated body condition scoring (BCS) system of DeLaval compared to the manual, non-automated, method. Data was collected from a research dairy farm with 500 cows in a loose housing system. The DeLaval system was situated in the pathway to the milking parlour and in the voluntary milking system. Delaval recorded the average BCS of each cow milked every day using a 0 to 5 scale with 0,1 intervals. Cows were manually measured for BCS by the same two persons, the farm veterinarian and an employee, every week using a 0 to 5 scale with 0,1 intervals. This data was compared using visual representations. The DeLaval system shows a regression to the mean during the whole lactation and the average BCS is higher in comparison with the manual BCS. However, the DeLaval BCS system could be used for recording changes of BCS over time.