SPRING SUMMER BONUS MAGAZINE 2026

Every dairy farmer knows the frustration of fresh cows that fail to peak, struggle to conceive, or lose excessive condition. Many of these problems start long before calving, during late lactation and at dry-off. The transition period is a costly stage where poor management increases metabolic disease, fertility problems, and production losses. Body Condition Score (BCS) is a key tool for managing this phase, reflecting the cow’s energy reserves. BCS at dry-off: setting cows up for success Jano Kelsey - Technical Advisor: Dairy Ideally, cows should be dried off at a BCS of 3,0–3,5 (5-point scale) to maintain metabolic balance and support good production and fertility after calving. Why BCS at dry-off matters BCS at dry-off strongly influences milk production, reproductive efficiency, metabolic health, hoof integrity, and overall farm profitability. Cows that calve outside the optimal condition range often carry these disadvantages throughout the next lactation, with each 0,5- to 1,0-BCS-unit deviation at calving potentially resulting in production losses, delayed conception, extended calving intervals, and increased Figure 1: Ideal progression of condition during lactation. The green line represents the upper limit. The blue line represents the lower limit. www.agribonus.co.za Spring/Summer 2026 BONUS 41