Body condition scoring

(BCS)

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Body condition scoring

• Body condition scoring is an important management practice used by

producers :

• as a tool to help optimize production,

• evaluate health, and assess nutritional status.

• This practice helps evaluate their herd or flock as to the amount of body

reserves, particularly fat and muscle, an animal possesses.

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Critical times

• The most critical times to body condition score animals during the

production cycle include :

1. pre-breeding,

2. mid-gestation,

3. parturition,

4. and weaning.

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The graph illustrates normal changes in desired body condition scores for beef through a production cycle

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How??

• Body condition scoring is often done by careful visual examination, although palpation of the animal may be necessary when long hair or wool is present.

• Evaluations look at the amount of muscle and fat cover in eight important anatomical points when assigning a body condition score.

• 1 to 9, which is the American scoring system (or some refer this as the Beef Cattle scoring system); or

• 1 to 5, which is the Scottish (or Canadian) scoring system, or, for some, the Dairy Cattle scoring system.

• One (1) refers to extreme emaciation, and 5 (or 9) refers to overly fat or obese.

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Examining the Animal

• the evaluator must concentrate on the amount of muscle present, skeletal features, and fat cover in eight important anatomical points :

• brisket (sternum),

• ribs,

• loin (lumbar vertebra), hooks, stifle, tail

• head, and pins.

• shoulder

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Examining the Animal

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Difficulty of evaluation

• three factors must be considered when body condition scoring an animal.

1) • Gut fill, including stage of pregnancy.

2) • Amount of hair or wool.

3) • Amount of muscle.

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Description of Body Condition

Scores for Beef Cattle and Horses

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Condition Score 1: Severely Emaciated

• The spinous processes show no fat cover , are very prominent and sharp .

• The ribs and bone structure are visible with no fat cover .

• the tail head is very prominent .

• There is severe muscle loss in the shoulder, loin, and hind regions.

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Condition Score 2: Very Thin

• There is more fat cover over the ribs and backbone, but space is still visible

between the vertebra.

• The tail head is less prominent .

• there is still muscle loss.

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Condition Score 3: Thin

• The spinous processes are still visible, but less sharp.

• There is less space between the vertebra.

• more fat cover along the entire backbone.

• The loin muscle has more depth, but there is no obvious fat cover .

• there is only slight muscle loss.

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Condition Score 4: Slightly Thin

• There are no spaces between the vertebra .

• the spinous processes are no longer visible, but can be palpated with little

pressure.

• The last 2 to 4 ribs and the hipbones are still visible.

• Fat covers the loin and shoulder,

• and the animal has no muscle loss.

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Condition Score 5: Moderate or Average

• There is just the right amount of fat cover over the shoulders, ribs, loin, and

tail head .

• The spinous processes can be palpated with a little pressure.

• Only the last two ribs are visible .

• the loin is filled.

• There is little fat in the brisket and over the hooks and pins.

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Condition Score 6: Slightly Fleshy

• The spine is palpated with moderate pressure,

• the hindquarters have become slightly rounded.

• There is visible fat in the brisket and around the tail head .

• All ribs, the loins, shoulders, and fore ribs are covered with fat.

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Condition Score 7: Fleshy

• The entire animal appears smooth.

• The spine can be felt with significant pressure.

• There is fat that fills the brisket, flanks, and tail head.

• There is more fat cover over the shoulder, loins, and fore ribs.

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Condition Score 8: Fat (Obese)

• The animal appears square.

• The tail head is embedded in fat, and the flanks and brisket appear to be full.

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Condition Score 9: Extremely Fat

(Very Obese

• There is no visible bone structure or definition in the muscles.

• The spine cannot be felt.

• The brisket is filled with fat,

• and the neck appears shorter due to the deposition of fat.

• The loin, hip, and tail head have a rippled look due to the excess fat

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Body Condition Scoring of Dairy Cattle

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Condition Score 1

• This cow is emaciated.

• The ends of the short ribs are sharp to the touch and together give a prominent

shelf-like appearance to the loin.

• The individual vertebrae (spinous processes) of the backbone are prominent.

• The hook and pin bones are sharply defined.

• The thurl region and thighs are sunken and in-curving.

• The anal area has receded and the vulva appears prominent.

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Condition Score 2

• This cow is thin.

• The ends of the short ribs can be felt but they and the individual vertebrae

are less visibly prominent.

• The short ribs do not form as obvious an overhang or shelf effect.

• The hook and pin bones are prominent but the depression of the thurl

region between them is less severe.

• The area around the anus is less sunken and the vulva less prominent.

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Condition Score 3

• A cow in average body condition.

• The short ribs can be felt by applying slight pressure.

• The overhanging shelf like appearance of these bones is gone.

• The backbone is a rounded ridge and hook and pin bones are round and

smoothed over.

• The anal area is filled out but there is no evidence of fat deposit.

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Condition Score 4

• A cow in heavy condition.

• Individual short ribs can be felt only when firm pressure is applied.

• Together they are rounded over with no shelf effect.

• The ridge of the backbone is flattening over the loin and rump areas and rounded over the chine.

• The hook bones are smoothed over and the span between the hook bones over the backbone is flat.

• Area around the pin bones is beginning to show patches of fat deposit.

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Condition Score 5

• A fat cow.

• The bone structure of the topline, hook and pin bones and the short ribs is

not visible.

• Fat deposits around the tailbone and over the ribs are obvious.

• The thighs curve out, the brisket and flanks are heavy and the chine very

round

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Dairy Herd Body Condition Score Chart

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References

• http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/index.html

• http://www.thebreedersassistant.com/home.

• Body Condition Scoring in Dairy Cattle. Elanco Animal Health, 1997

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