CORRELATION OF BODY CONDITION SCORE AND CHEST CIRCUMFERENCE AS PARAMETERS OF REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY LEVEL OF BALI CATTLE IN BARRU REGENCY

Abstrak

Bali cattle are a native Indonesian germplasm derived from bull and have high adaptability to tropical environments, good production performance, and superior reproductive ability. Livestock quality generally involves the measurement of various body dimensions, such as chest circumference, body length, shoulder height, and body condition score. The purpose of this study is to examine how Bali cattle at the Maiwa Breeding Center, Tanete Riaja District, Barru Regency, relate to pregnancy and body condition score and chest circumference. A total of 50 Bali heifers were used as the study sample. Chest circumference measurements and BCS assessment were carried out on the heifers until they reached mating age. Next, the samples were divided into two groups: group I (25 non-pregnant cows) and group II (25 pregnant cows). Data were analyzed quantitatively using a correlation test to examine the relationship between chest circumference and BCS, as well as pregnancy status. The results revealed that pregnant cows had a higher chest circumference (132.6 ± 6.4 cm) than non-pregnant heifers (127.4 ± 5.4 cm). BCS scales 5 and 6 were more prevalent in pregnant cows (20% and 6%), whereas BCS scale 4 was more common in non-pregnant cows (36%). Correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between BCS and chest circumference in both pregnant (r = 0.78; R² = 0.60) and non-pregnant (r = 0.80; R² = 0.65) cows. These results suggest that chest circumference and BCS play a crucial role in determining the pregnancy status of Balinese cattle.

Keywords : Bali Cattle, Body Condition Score, Chest Circumference, Pregnancy.