Correlation between body condition score and hormone level of Bali cattle with postpartum anestrus

Body Condition Score (BCS) is a simpler and more practical method to evaluate the body’s energy and fat reserves in cows. Nutrition play a direct role both in the hypothalamus by synthesizing and releasing GnRH, as well as on the anterior pituitary by controlling the synthesis and release of Leptin, FSH, LH and Estrogen. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the body condition score with the activation of hormones in the hypothalamic–pituitary– gonadal axis on Bali cattle that experienced postpartum anestrus. This research was an observational analytic study with Cross-Sectional Study design. The samples used were Bali cattle that have given birth and have not shown estrus for more than three months. BCS assessment method is qualitatively conducted through visual and tactile techniques. Measurements of Leptin, FSH, LH and estrogen hormone levels were performed using the ELISA Double Antibody Sandwich method. The results showed a correlation between body condition score to hormone level i.e. Leptin level of 0.861; LH level of 0.960; FSH level of 0.799; and Estrogen level of 0.761. These data demonstrated that BCS significantly affects Leptin hormone concentrations. It takes Leptin with a certain concentration to trigger the release of LH in follicle maturation and ovulation, thus achieving a threshold that causes the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. Key words: Bali cattle, BCS, Estrogen, FSH, Leptin, LH, Postpartum anestrus.