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B93 Body Condition Scoring of Cattle
Name _______________________ Date _________
Introduction
Body Condition Scoring of Cattle
Introduction:
Body condition scoring (BCS) is a useful management tool for distinguishing
differences in ________________________ needs of beef cows in the herd.
This system uses a __________________ ________________ to estimate body
__________________ __________________ in the cow.
Research indicates that there is a strong link between the body condition of a
cow and
her __________________________ performance.
The percentage of open cows, calving interval, and calf vigor at birth are all
closely related to the body condition of cows both at calving and during the
breeding season.
All these factors play an important role in the _____________________ of a beef
cow-calf operation and help determine the percentage of viable calves each year.
Monitoring body condition using the BCS system is an important management tool
for assessing production efficiency.
Numerical Scoring System 1-9
Body condition scores are excellent indicators of the nutritional status in beef
cows. Ideal live weight varies from cow to cow, whereas ideal body condition (BCS
_____) is the same for all cows.
Also, body condition can be measured in the field without gathering or working
cattle.
Body condition scores are numbers used to estimate _______________
________________ in the form of _________ and _____________ of beef cows.
BCS ranges from _____ to______, with a score of 1 being extremely __________
and 9 being very _________________.
Areas such as the _______________, ______________________, ___________,
____________________, ________________, and ______________________ of beef
cattle can be used to determine BCS.
Be aware that gut fill due to ____________________ contents or _______________
can change the appearance of moderately fleshy cows, especially over the ribs or
in front of the hooks.
________________________ can often make it difficult to correctly evaluate the
body condition score of a beef cow or heifer. When the hair on the cow is long,
palpating the specific areas of fat deposition is particularly important.
Cows should be palpated over the back, ribs, and over the horizontal processes
of the backbone (edge of loin).
"Thin" cows will have a __________________________ feel in these areas than cows
with moderate or fat body conditions.
It is important to be aware that the ________________ of beef cow can have a
strong influence on where body fat is deposited.
For example, Bos taurus breeds and crossbreds will show a more uniform
distribution of fat across the ribs, whereas Bos indicus cattle may have very
little fat over the ribs but will deposit fat over the hooks and pin bones.
Body Condition Score: 1
Condition: _______________________
Bone structure of shoulder, ribs, back, hooks, and pins sharp to touch and
easily visible. Little evidence of fat deposits or muscling.
Body Condition Score: 2
Condition: _____________________
Little evidence of fat deposits, but some muscling in hindquarters. The spinous
processes feel sharp to the touch and are easily seen, with space between them.
Body Condition Score: 3
Condition: ___________
Fat beginning to cover over the loin, back, and foreribs. Backbone still highly
visible. Spinous processes can be identified individually by touch and may still
be visible. Spaces between the processes are less pronounced.
Body Condition Score: 4
Condition: _______________________
Foreribs not noticeable. The transverse spinous processes can be identified only
by palpation to feel rounded rather than sharp. Full muscling in the
hindquarters.
Body Condition Score: 5
Condition: _______________________
12th and 13th ribs not visible to the eye unless animal has been shrunk.
Transverse spinous processes and spaces between are not noticeable to the eye
and can be identified only with firm pressure. Areas on each side of the tail
head are fairly well filled, but not rounded.
Body Condition Score: 6
Condition: __________________
Ribs fully covered, not noticeable to the eye. Hindquarters plump and full.
Noticeable sponginess to covering of foreribs and each side of tail head.
Body Condition Score: 7
Condition: _______________________
End of spinous processes can only be felt with firm pressure; spaces between can
be barely distinguished at all. Abundant fat cover on either side of tail head.
Body Condition Score: 8
Condition: ______________
Animal taking on smooth, blocky appearance; bone structure disappearing from
sight. Fat cover thick and spongy.
Body Condition Score: 9
Condition: ____________________
Bone structure not easily seen or felt. Tail head buried in fat. Mobility may
actually be impaired by excess amount of fat.
Importance of Body Condition
In order to manage a beef cow-calf operation in the most cost-efficient way,
producers must be aware of the body condition of their herd.
Research indicates that the body condition of beef cows is related to many
critical aspects of production such as _______________________ , days to
____________ ,
_____________________________, and ______________ production.
When cows are extremely thin (BCS < 4), they are not only reproductively
inefficient, but they are more susceptible to ___________________________ .
Cows at BCS 1 are in a __________________________ situation and need immediate
attention.
Cows that are over-conditioned (BCS 8-9) are the most _________________ to
maintain. Two-year-olds with BCS 8-9 may encounter ___________________ (calving
difficulty) due to the excessive fat in the pelvic area.
Guidelines for Body Condition Scores
On average, most beef cows score in the range of ____ to ____ throughout the
year.
A cow is expected to be in optimal body condition (BCS ________ ) before
calving.
She may __________ condition after calving and possibly into the breeding
season.
She may gain condition and weight as ________________________ approaches
(assuming there is adequate forage) and continue gaining fetal weight and any
needed body condition in late gestation.
Body condition should be evaluated ________________ days before calving.
By assigning BCS scores at this time, the cows can be sorted for appropriate
feeding.
Grouping cows by __________ ___________________ and feeding them accordingly can
help each of them reach BCS 5-7 by calving.
Scoring cows 60-90 days before calving allows the producer to evaluate the dry
cow nutritional program while allowing enough time prior to calving for
"emergency feeding" if needed.
Although body condition should be evaluated at calving, it may be difficult to
increase body condition since _______________________ requires most of the
______________________ a cow consumes.
If environmental conditions at the time of calving are mild, cows may be able to
reach BCS 5 or 6 by breeding time.
However, this is unlikely to occur when the weather is cold or high quality
feeds are limited.
Weight VS Body Condition Score
Live ____________________ should not solely be used as an indicator of
nutritional status of beef cows in a herd.
Research indicates that body condition is a more ______________________
indicator of nutritional status than live weight.
Most herds have cows that range in age, _______________________, and muscling,
all of which impact the weight of the animals.
Therefore, only using live weight may over- or under-estimate the amount of body fat.
Live weight is also affected greatly by ________________ and ________________ .
Problems with high & low body condition scores
| Thin Condition BCS 1- 4 | Fat Condition BCS 8-9 |
| 1. Failure to cycle | 1. Costly to maintain |
| 2. Failure to conceive | 2. Increased dystocia |
| 3. Increased calving interval | 3. Impaired mobility |
| 4. Increased days to estrus | 4. Failure to cycle |
| 5. Decreased calf vigor | 5. Failure to conceive |
Reference Table
| Body Condition Scores | |||||||||
| Reference Point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Physically weak | Yes | no | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Muscle atrophy | Yes | Yes | Slight | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Outline of spine visible | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Outline of ribs visible | All | All | All | 3-5 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Outline of hip & pin bones visible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Slight | No | No |
| Fat in brisket and flanks | No | No | No | No | No | Some | Full | Full | Extreme |
| Fat udder & patchy fataround tail head | No | No | No | No | No | No | Slight | Yes | Extreme |
Nutritional Priorities
When nutrient intake fulfills the highest priority requirements, the excess is
used to fill lower priority requirements.
Write Down the Nutritional Priorities in order from highest to lowest
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
When all current requirements are fulfilled, the excess is stored as __________.
During periods of low energy intake, excess external body fat is the first body
tissue used to meet nutritional requirements.
When energy is insufficient, fat stores may not be enough to fulfill
requirements.
When this happens, ____________________________ (protein) is broken down to
satisfy energy demand.
Nutritional Programs Using Body Condition Scores
Since feed costs make up roughly ______% of the cost of a cow-calf operation,
different feeding programs can be used to achieve the best reproductive
performance without high costs.
Choosing a calving ______________________ that is most compatible with your
___________________ program is the first step in maximizing cow condition and
reproduction.
Understand that the changes that occur in body weight and condition are normal
in the production cycle of the cow.
A medium-framed beef cow that is open will gain or lose approximately
______________ pounds for each body condition score change.
For example, a medium-framed beef cow with a BCS _____, weighing _________
pounds, will be a BCS _____ and weigh approximately ______________ pounds with a
loss of 150-200 pounds and a decrease of two body condition scores.
Moreover, an additional ___________ pounds is typically gained during the last
trimester of gestation for fetal growth and uterine development.
Recommendations: ________________ days prepartum to achieve a BCS of
____________ by calving.
Summary
Achieving a BCS of _______ or more before calving and throughout the production
cycle is a key to a profitable cow-calf operation.
Maintaining and feeding beef cows to attain a BCS in the optimum moderate range
(BCS 5-7) allows beef cows to achieve maximum reproductive performance while
feed supplementation costs are held to a minimum.
By sorting and feeding groups based on BCS, the economics of the operation
improve.
Producers need to pay attention to stocking rates and pasture quality.
____________________________ and poor forage quality can lead to "thin" cows.