Beginner’s Guide Beginner’s Guide to Body Condition to Body Condition

ScoringScoring

A Tool for Dairy Herd A Tool for Dairy Herd ManagementManagementWeb PresentationWeb Presentation

Updated July, 2004Updated July, 2004

Using body condition scoring to fine Using body condition scoring to fine tune herd nutrition and health tune herd nutrition and health management has become a widely management has become a widely accepted practice. accepted practice.

This presentation is designed to This presentation is designed to Introduce you to body condition scoring Introduce you to body condition scoring Provide examples of cows scored 1 to 5 Provide examples of cows scored 1 to 5

Evaluating Body Condition vs. Evaluating Body Condition vs. TypeType

Type evaluation Type evaluation (classification, judging) (classification, judging) compares animals to the compares animals to the “ideal”“ideal” conformation conformation

Body condition scoring Body condition scoring considers the relative considers the relative fatnessfatness or or thinnessthinness of of animalsanimals

Goals of Body Condition Goals of Body Condition ScoringScoring

Early detection of potential health Early detection of potential health problemsproblems

Identify areas for improved feeding Identify areas for improved feeding managementmanagement

Improve herd health, production, Improve herd health, production, reproduction, profitabilityreproduction, profitability

Body Condition ScoringBody Condition Scoring

Visual and tactile evaluation of body Visual and tactile evaluation of body fat reservesfat reserves

Indication of energy balanceIndication of energy balance Scale of 1 to 5, increments of 0.25Scale of 1 to 5, increments of 0.25 Body Condition Score = BCSBody Condition Score = BCS

BCS 1 = emaciated cow (too thin) BCS 1 = emaciated cow (too thin) BCS 3 = average body conditionBCS 3 = average body condition BCS 5 = excessively fat cowBCS 5 = excessively fat cow

Areas to EvaluateAreas to Evaluate Rump / Pelvic AreaRump / Pelvic Area

TailheadTailhead HooksHooks PinsPins ThurlThurl

LoinLoin Short ribs Short ribs SpineSpine

Side ViewSide View

Pins

Thurl

Hooks

Rear ViewRear View

Pins

Thurl

Hooks

Short Ribs

Tailhead Ligament

Sacral Ligament

(Short Ribs)

(Spinous Process)

If an animal is grossly fat, the bone structure cannot be seen or felt through the fat. In thin animals, the bone structures are very prominent.

Step-by-Step ProcessStep-by-Step Process

See “Learn to Score Body Condition” See “Learn to Score Body Condition” presentation from Penn Statepresentation from Penn State

Not a perfect scienceNot a perfect science Scores should be similar (Scores should be similar ( 0.25) 0.25)

When measured on one animal or When measured on one animal or When measured by different peopleWhen measured by different people

Separates average condition from Separates average condition from extremesextremes

Extremely Fat Extremely Thin

Examples of ScoresExamples of Scores

Presented to help you see the major differences – Presented to help you see the major differences –

for a more detailed system of scoring, seefor a more detailed system of scoring, see “Learn to Score Body Condition” “Learn to Score Body Condition”

Side viewSide view Bones of tailhead easy to seeBones of tailhead easy to see Prominent backboneProminent backbone Tips of short ribs are clearly visible Tips of short ribs are clearly visible Hooks, thurl, and pins very prominentHooks, thurl, and pins very prominent

BCS 1: Severely Under-BCS 1: Severely Under-conditionedconditioned

Photo Not AvailablePhoto Not Available

All boney All boney prominences easily prominences easily visible visible

Hooks, pins, spine, Hooks, pins, spine, & ribs very sharp& ribs very sharp

Deep cavities Deep cavities around tailheadaround tailhead

Thin legs, poor Thin legs, poor muscle conditionmuscle condition

BCS 1BCS 1

Photo Not AvailablePhoto Not Available

Rear viewRear view

BCS 2: Severe Negative Energy BCS 2: Severe Negative Energy BalanceBalance

Tailhead prominent, limited skin cover Tailhead prominent, limited skin cover Prominent backboneProminent backbone Limited skin cover on short ribs. From Limited skin cover on short ribs. From

tip to spine, short ribs are visible ¾ of tip to spine, short ribs are visible ¾ of the distancethe distance

Angular hooks and pins with Angular hooks and pins with prominent thurlprominent thurl

Hooks, pins, & Hooks, pins, & thurl prominentthurl prominent

Tailhead area Tailhead area somewhat somewhat hollow, but has hollow, but has modest covering modest covering of fleshof flesh

BCS 2BCS 2

BCS 2.75: Slightly ThinBCS 2.75: Slightly Thin

Visible backbone Visible backbone Tip of short ribs smooth, but visibleTip of short ribs smooth, but visible Hooks angular, but pins padded by Hooks angular, but pins padded by

fatfat V-angle formed between hooks, V-angle formed between hooks,

thurl, and pinsthurl, and pins

Hooks angular, but Hooks angular, but pins more pins more rounded or padded rounded or padded with fatwith fat

Hollow below Hollow below tailhead compared tailhead compared to a BCS 3to a BCS 3

BCS 2.75BCS 2.75

BCS 3: Good ConditionBCS 3: Good Condition

More flesh covering backboneMore flesh covering backbone Tip of short ribs smoothTip of short ribs smooth Hooks and pins rounded and smoothHooks and pins rounded and smooth V-angle formed between hooks, V-angle formed between hooks,

thurl, and pinsthurl, and pins

Hooks and pins Hooks and pins rounded rounded

No deep No deep depressions or fat depressions or fat deposits around deposits around tailheadtailhead

BCS 3BCS 3

BCS 3.25: Slightly FleshyBCS 3.25: Slightly Fleshy

More flesh covering backboneMore flesh covering backbone Tip of short ribs very smoothTip of short ribs very smooth Hooks and pins more rounded and Hooks and pins more rounded and

smoothsmooth U-angle formed between hooks, U-angle formed between hooks,

thurl, and pinsthurl, and pins

Rounded hooks & Rounded hooks & pinspins

Sacral and Sacral and tailhead ligaments tailhead ligaments visiblevisible

BCS 3.25BCS 3.25

BCS 4: Over-conditionedBCS 4: Over-conditioned

Backbone barely visibleBackbone barely visible Short ribs very smooth, tips barely Short ribs very smooth, tips barely

visiblevisible Hooks and pins very smooth, but Hooks and pins very smooth, but

visiblevisible Flat between hooks and pinsFlat between hooks and pins

Hooks & pins Hooks & pins rounded, but visiblerounded, but visible

Rump and thurl flatRump and thurl flat Sacral and tailhead Sacral and tailhead

ligaments not visibleligaments not visible

BCS 4BCS 4

BCS 5: Severely Over-BCS 5: Severely Over-conditionedconditioned

Backbone not visibleBackbone not visible Short ribs flat, bones not visibleShort ribs flat, bones not visible Hooks and pins not visibleHooks and pins not visible Flat over rump and tailheadFlat over rump and tailhead

All boney All boney prominences prominences rounded and rounded and covered in fatcovered in fat

Tailhead buried in Tailhead buried in fatfat

Fat deposits readily Fat deposits readily seen on rump and seen on rump and legslegs

BCS 5BCS 5

SummarySummary

The body condition scoring scale The body condition scoring scale Under-conditioned cows = BCS 1Under-conditioned cows = BCS 1 Over-conditioned cows = BCS 5Over-conditioned cows = BCS 5

Determining a cow's BCSDetermining a cow's BCS Look at pelvic area and loin Look at pelvic area and loin Fat deposits become evident Fat deposits become evident cow is over cow is over

conditioned conditioned Bone structures become prominent Bone structures become prominent cow is cow is

thinthin