[Body condition and dislocated abomasum: comparative investigations into back fat thickness and additional criteria...

The body condition, the kind of parturition, the milk yield and diseases during early lactation were investigated in 228 cows including heifers. Overconditioning (back fat thickness > 30 mm) before parturition resulted in cows falling ill with mastitis and abomasal displacement (DA). These cows mobilised the most fat in comparison with healthy cows and cows suffering from different diseases after parturition. Especially heifers (83%) which gave birth to heavier male calves fell ill with DA, therefore needed assistance during labour because of dystocia. Besides DA additional disturbances occurred in those heifers, e.g. 50% mastitis, and 30% retentio secundinarum in this investigation. The daily milk yield amounted to 13.1 kg in cows with DA and to 23 kg in healthy cows. The presented results support the classification of DA into the fat mobilisation syndrome. Consequently overconditioning and stress during parturition need to be avoided to prevent DA.