How to Identify the Body Condition Score of Cattle, Sheep and Goat
Body condition scoring serves as a useful, easy-to-use management tool to determine the nutritional needs of a cow herd. Using a numeric scoring system from 1 to 5 for sheep and goats and 1 to 9 for cattle, livestockmen can evaluate animals in the field to estimate body energy reserves.
This information can be used to adjust feeding strategies to reach optimal BCS. Since body condition greatly affects reproductive performance as well as feeding efficiency, monitoring body condition using BCS can greatly influence a producer’s bottom line.
Body condition scores are also important in establishing selection tools provided by the American Angus Association.
Along with yearling data and cow weight, which should be taken 45 days before and 45 days after a calf’s weaning measure date, BCS are essential in calculating improved mature cow expected progeny differences (EPDs) in the National Cattle Evaluation (NCE).
These EPDs will then be used in the Weaned Calf Index ($W), which was released in the spring 2005 NCE. Cow weights submitted without BCS will not be used to calculate mature size EPDs.
Procedure for Identifying the Body Condition Score of Cattle, Sheep and Goat
1. Body condition of cattle
• BCS1
The bone structure of the shoulder, ribs, back, hooks, and pins is sharp to the touch and easily visible. There is little evidence of fat deposits or muscling.
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• BCS 2
There is little evidence of fat deposition but some muscling in the hindquarters. The spinous processes feel sharp to the touch and are easily seen with space between them.
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2. Body condition score of sheep
3. Body condition score of goat
The visual aspect of the goat: an emaciated and weak animal, the backbone is highly visible and forms a continuous ridge. The flank is hollow. Ribs are clearly visible. There is no fat cover and fingers easily penetrate intercostal spaces (between ribs).
The spinous process of the lumbar vertebrae can be grasped easily between the thumb and forefinger; the spinous process is rough, prominent, and distinct, giving it a saw-tooth appearance.
Very little muscle and no fat can be felt between the skin and bone. There is a deep depression in the transition from the spinous to transverse process.
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