EN
The objectives of the present study were to assess the association between body condition and lameness throughout lactation and dry period in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows and in their crosses with the Jersey breed, as well as to evaluate the correlation between body condition scores and lameness scores. The study is based on data from 68 cows. The cows were housed in tie stalls with access to a pasture and a cow yard throughout the year. Cows were scored for lameness (score 1-5) by the same experienced observer once a month for 8 months (from March to October 2009). Concurrently, cows were scored for body condition on a 1 to 5-point scale with 0.25-unit increments. Compared with non-lame cows, clinically lame cows were characterized by losses of body condition throughout lactation, particularly in early, medium, and late lactation. In the dry period the body condition was similar for lame and non-lame cows. The losses in the body condition score were larger for crossbred cows (Polish Holstein Friesian × Jersey) than for the Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. This study shows a significant relationship between the body condition score and the lameness score in dairy cows (r = – 0.22).