| Summary: | The aim of this study was to evaluate energy metabolism and lipid mobilization via ultrasonic measurements (USM), considering inner fat depots, in lactating dairy cows differing in body condition score (BCS) and fed rations with low (35% at dry matter basis; C<sub>35</sub>) or high (60% at dry matter basis; C<sub>60</sub>) concentrate feed proportions postpartum. Sixty pluriparous German Holstein cows were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design from d 42 antepartum (relative to calculated calving) until d 120 postpartum. Animals were divided into a group with a lower (initial BCS = 3.1 ± 0.38 SD; BCS<sub>L</sub>) and a group with a higher (initial BCS = 3.83 ± 0.41 SD; BCS<sub>H</sub>) BCS. Due to higher dry matter intake C<sub>60</sub> groups reached the positive energy balance earlier, whereas C<sub>35</sub> groups had a more pronounced negative energy balance. Although this would suggest a more pronounced mobilization of C<sub>35</sub> groups the USM revealed no differences between feeding groups. Differences in BCS between both BCS groups remained almost the same over the trial. This was not reflected in ultrasonic data, as lipid mobilization was higher in higher conditioned cows. These findings demonstrate the extended possibilities of USM to depict metabolic processes.
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