YC.com: Body Condition Scores

Body Condition Scores -- How Do Your Cows Rate?
Article and photos compiled by Jill J. Dunkel

In order to make money in the the cow/calf business, a cow should consistently produce a calf every 12 months. Cows which fail to calve or those that take longer than 12 months to produce and wean a calf increase the input costs per calf. And that reduces the rancher's profit margin.

According to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, most reproductive failures in the beef cow can be attributed to improper nutrition and thin body condition. The condition of cows at breeding affects their reproductive performance in terms of services per conception, calving interval and the percentage of open cows. Thus proper body condition is essential to maintain a steady 12 month reproduction cycle.

But what is the proper body condition for cows? In the mid 1980s, cattlemen, research workers and extension personnel developed a body condition scoring (BCS) system to help define a cow's condition.

Body Condition Scores
The system, in use for over a decade, has led to further research to determine the optimum body scores for a cow throughout her reproductive life. Detailed descriptions on each body score are in the table to the right, but industry experts say to keep your scoring simple.
A thin cow looks very sharp, angular and skinny, while a fat one looks smooth and boxy with bone structure hidden from sight or feel. All others fall somewhere in between, according to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. A cow with a BCS of 5 should look average -- neither thin nor fat.

By recognizing differences in body condition, cattlemen can plan their feeding program so that cows are maintained in satisfactory condition relative to optimum performance at calving and breeding.

Studies at Colorado State University and Texas A&M University have determined that the acceptable body condition score prior to calving is at least 5 or possibly 6. Scores less than 5 at calving will impede reproduction. Additionally, cows scoring less than 5 show extremely low rebreeding rates. Even after five and six months of breeding, studies show cows scoring less than 5 at calving and during breeding did not conceive at an acceptable level.
Cattlemen who calve in the fall are not only preparing their cows to calve, but to survive the winter while nursing a calf, so condition is essential.

Supplemental Feeding Based on BCS
Body condition significantly alters the requirement for supplemental energy and slightly alters the need for supplemental protein, but it is not a determining factor of mineral or vitamin supplementation, according to the extension service. Mineral supplementation with emphasis on salt, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and calcium is advisable in all situations.

Dry pregnant cows can utilize low quality forage without excessive grain supplementation. Cows with body condition scores of 6 to 8 can lose some condition without reducing performance and therefore need little, if any, grain.

Achieving Optimal BCS
To maximize reproductive efficiency, sort cows by condition 90 to 100 days ahead of calving and feeding so that all cows will calve with a BCS of 5 to 7.

By utilizing body condition scores, nutritional and reproductive decisions, which are key to a profitable cow/calf program, can be made with more precision and accuracy.

Description of Body Condition Scores

Thin Condition

1. Bone structure of shoulder, ribs, back, hooks and pins sharp to touch and easily visible. Little evidence of fat deposits or muscling.

2. Little evidence of fat deposition, some muscling in hindquarters. The spinous processes feel sharp to touch and are easily seen with space between them.

3. Beginning of fat cover over the loin, back and foreribs.

Backbone 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.

Borderline Condition
4. Foreribs not noticeable; 12th and 13th ribs still noticeable to the eye particularly in cattle with a big spring of rib and ribs wide apart. The transverse spinous processes can be identified only by palpation (with slight pressure) to feel rounded rather than sharp. Full but straightness of muscling in the hindquarters.

Optimum Condition

5. 12th and 13th ribs not visible to the eye unless animal has been shrunk. The transverse spinous processes can only be felt with firm pressure to feel rounded -- not noticeable to the eye. Spaces between the processes not visible and only distinguishable with firm pressure. Areas on each side of the tail head are fairly well filled but not mounded.

6. Ribs fully covered, not noticeable to the eye. Hindquarters plump and full. Noticeable sponginess to covering of foreribs and on each side of the tail head. Firm pressure now required to feel transverse processes.

7. End of the spinous processes can only be felt with very firm pressure.

Spaces between processes can barely be distinguished at all. Abundant fat cover on either side of the tail head with some patchiness evident.

Fat Condition

8. Animal taking on a smooth, blocky appearance; bone structure disappearing from sight. Fat cover thick and spongy with patchiness likely.

9. Bone structure not seen or easily felt. Tail head buried in fat. Animal's mobility may actually be impaired by excess amount of fat.