AgricultureNews

Body Condition Scoring – What Is It and How Can It Be Managed?

By Dale Weinbender, BSA, AAG, Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist, Tisdale

Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is a management tool producers can use to evaluate the condition of their herd. It is a hands-on method that determines how much condition (fat reserves) an animal is carrying. In Canada, the scoring system is based on a five-point scale, with a five being over-conditioned and one being under-conditioned. A BCS of three is considered ideal during breeding season and should be targeted by producers. When scoring cattle, it is important to feel for fat in the short ribs, the spine, the hooks and pins and either side of the tail head. An optimum body condition score of 2.5-3 will have a thin layer of fat over these areas. It will take some pressure to feel the bones.

Cattle should be scored two to three times a year. Critical periods include:

  • Fall preg-checking/beginning of winter-feeding period;
  • Prior to calving season; and
  • Thirty days before breeding season.

Cattle with an optimum body condition have the following benefits compared to cattle that are under or over-conditioned:

  • Improved conception rates;
  • Shorter post-partum interval (days from calving to first heat);
  • Becoming bred within the first heat cycle (21 days);
  • Improved colostrum production at partition with higher IGG content; and
  • Decreased calving mortality rate; fewer occurrences of abortions and stillborn calves.

Managing BCS

The nutritional requirements of a cow are the highest during late gestation, with 20-45 per cent higher energy and 40-80 per cent higher protein requirements. At this stage it is more challenging to increase BCS with their increased requirements as they are getting closer to calving and lactation. Ensuring cattle are entering late lactation with an optimum condition score is important. Cattle that are over-conditioned are more prone to calving problems, including retaining their placenta and developing cystic ovaries; cattle that are underconditioned entering calving season will have difficulty rebreeding.

When calving on pasture it is important to consider certain factors. During calving season, the protein, energy and mineral requirements increase by 30-40 per cent while forage consumption typically increases by 30 per cent. As a result, during calving cattle require a pasture that contains an abundance of nutrients, high quantity of forages and plant diversity to meet energy and protein requirements. To achieve this, choose a pasture that has rested since the prior spring/summer.

To ensure pasture quality, feed testing is an efficient method to pinpoint the diversity of nutrients in forages. Nutrient levels in forages can vary by 30 per cent from year to year. Testing pasture clippings is a good approach to ensure the cattle are being supplemented the appropriate mineral and/or protein supplements during the calving season. Feed testing provides valuable information for operations interested in increasing their herd BCS because they can specialize their feeding program to meet nutrient requirements at the most critical times. Frequently rotating pastures during calving season is a management practice that can be used to ensure cattle have access to fresh, high-quality forage.

Maintaining a herd in good body condition allows producers to improve herd fertility, lower feed costs and generate more income by producing bigger calves. For more information about the importance of body condition scoring and how managing it can impact your operation, or for questions on any other livestock related topics, contact your local livestock and feed extension specialist or the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

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