One of the best and
easiest to use measures of nutritional status and potential
reproductive performance of the cow is body condition scoring.
Body condition score (BCS) is a classification system used to
determine relative fatness or body condition of beef cattle. A
score of 1-9 is given to each cow with 1 being very thin and 9
extremely fat. Table 1 can be used to help determine relative body
condition score. A general rule of thumb is a 75 lb weight change
will cause a one unit change in a cow’s BCS. Work conducted by Dr.
Richard Whitman at Colorado State University showed the following:
-
66% of cows calving with a body
condition score of 4 or below showed signs of estrus 90 days
post-calving.
-
92% of cows calving with a BCS of 5-6
showed signs of estrus during the same time period.
-
Managing cows to calve with a BCS of
between 5-6 will increase conception rate, reduce breeding season
length, and increase calf-weaning weight.
The following may occur in cow herds
with an average BCS of less than 5:
Score
|
Body Condition Score
Description
|
|
1 |
Bone structure of shoulder, ribs, back, and pins is sharp to
the touch and easily visible. Little evidence of fat deposits
or muscling. |
|
2 |
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. |
|
3 |
Beginning of fat cover over the loin, back, and foreribs. The
backbone is still highly visible. Processes of the spine can
be identified individually by touch and may still be visible.
Spaces between the processes are less pronounced. |
|
4 |
Foreribs are not noticeable but the 12th and 13th
ribs are still noticeable to the eye, particularly in cattle
with a big spring of rib and width between ribs. The
transverse spinous processes can be identified only by
palpation and feel rounded rather than sharp. Full, but
straight, muscling in the hindquarters. |
|
5 |
The
12th and 13th ribs are not visible to
the eye unless the animal has been shrunk. The transverse
spinous processes can only be felt with firm pressure and feel
rounded, but are not noticeable to the eye. Spaces between
the processes are not visible and are only distinguishable
with firm pressure. Areas on each side to the tail head are
well filled, but not mounded. |
|
6 |
Ribs are fully covered and are not noticeable to the eye.
Hindquarters are plump and full. Noticeable sponginess over
the foreribs and on each side of the tail head. Firm pressure
is now required to feel the transverse processes. |
|
7 |
Ends of the spinous processes can only be felt with firm
pressure. Spaces between processes can barely be
distinguished. Abundant fat cover in either side of the tail
head with evident patchiness. |
|
8 |
Animal takes on a smooth, blocky appearance. Bone structure
disappears from sight. Fat cover is thick and spongy and
patchiness is likely. |
|
9 |
Bone structure is not seen or easily felt. The tail head is
buried in fat. The animal’s mobility may actually be impaired
by excessive fat. |
Adapted from
Feeding Your Cows by Body Condition, Kansas State
University Agricultural Experimental Station and Cooperative
Extension Service.
The goal of a Year-Round Range Program
should be to keep cattle in a moderate BCS (5 – 6) at all times.
BCS at calving is the single most important factor affecting
cattle cycling activity and pregnancy rates. The most appropriate
times to conduct BCS are 60 days prior to calving and at weaning,
with a score of 5-6 being optimal at calving.
BCS 1
BCS 2
BCS 3
BCS 4
BCS 5
BCS 6
BCS 7
BCS 8
BCS 9
BCS
4 and BCS 6 photos courtesy of R.W. Whitman, Nutrition Tec
Services, Inc. All other BCS photos are courtesy of the University
of Florida Cooperative Extension Service.
