Body condition scoring the easy way

01-08-2010 | Jackie Harrigan

Using a hand laid across the transverse process to gauge the amount of fat cover on a ewe's back is a simple way of body condition scoring (BCS) a sheep.

Body condition scoring is a more accurate gauge of an animal's condition than simply weighing it because it removes the effect of the frame size of the animal, any effect of gut fill, and of pregnancy stage which can mask the true condition of the sheep.

Manawatu veterinarian Trevor Cook told farmers at a recent Tararua Monitor Farm field day that identifying multiple-bearing ewes at scanning, then separating and preferentially feeding tail-end ewes is the best way of maximising the value of the lamb crop.

The percentage of the flock below BCS 3 at mating and lambing sets the performance level of the flock, Cook says.

Reducing the number of tail-end ewes (those with BCS less than 2.5) can significantly improve profitability by increasing conception rates (at mating), lifting lamb survival and weaning weights, and boosting gross margins a hectare.

Body condition scores 0, 1 and 2 indicate underfeeding and low production. BCS 0 is seldom used because it indicates a sheep emaciated and close to death, when it is not possible to feel any muscle or fatty tissue between the skin and bone.

• BCS1: The vertical and horizontal bones are both prominent and sharp. Cook likens the feel of the horizontal bones to the feel of the ends of your fingers - sharp, and with no flesh to be felt between them.

• BCS 2: Spine bones are prominent and sharp, horizontal bones still feel sharp but like rounded knuckles with flesh between the bones.

Scores 3 and 4 indicate good feeding and high production.

• BCS 3: The vertical processes are smooth and rounded and the horizontal ones are smooth and well-covered, bones feel like running your hand across the tops of your knuckles, and hard pressure is needed to find the ends of the bones.

• BCS 4: The vertical processes are detectable only as a line, and ends of the horizontal processes cannot be felt due to the fat covering. Cook says it is like running your fingers over the top of your own hand - bones are there but not detectable as distinct bones.

• BCS 5: Overfed and overfat - neither the vertical processes nor horizontal processes can be felt, even with pressure.

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