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Body condition score 3
Body condition scoring is a management tool used to evaluate the nutritional status and energy reserves of beef cattle. It involves assessing fat cover over various areas of the cow's body on a standardized scale. Maintaining optimal body condition scores is important for reproductive and growth performance as well as health. Producers should monitor body condition several times per year at key points like weaning, breeding, and calving.
Body condition score 3
- 1. Body Condition Scoring inBeef Cattle Presented to: Mr. Peter Hanson Presented by: Dayna Williams Cherise Shortts Iteisha Baker Date: February 28, 2013
- 2. Body condition scoringis a management tool that can be used to evaluate the nutritional status of beef cattle. Body condition (fat cover) is an indication of energy reserves of a beef animal. It is important in beef production because it influences subsequent reproductive and growth performance.
- 3. Why Condition Score? Condition scoring is a technique for assessing the condition of livestock at regular intervals. The purpose of condition scoring is to achieve a balance between economic feeding, good production and good welfare.
- 4. These are the: Ribs - Fore ribs - 12th and 13th Backbone/Spinous Processes Transverse Processes Hooks/hip Tail head Pins Shoulder Stifle Brisket
- 8. No palpated fatis detectable over the spinous processes, ribs, or hooks. The tail head and ribs appear very prominent
- 10. Animal is stillsomewhat emaciated but the tail head and ribs are less prominent. Individual spinous processes are still sharp to the touch. Some tissue cover id present over the ribs toward the top of the back
- 12. Individual ribs includingfore ribs are easily identified but are not quite as sharp to the touch. Some fat can be felt along the spine and over the tail head. Some tissue cover is present over the ribs toward the top of the back.
- 14. Individual ribs maynot be visually obvious. Individual spinous processes can be felt when palpated but feel rounded rather than sharp. Some fat cover is present over the ribs, transverse processes
- 16. Overall appearance isgenerally good. Fat cover over ribs feels spongy. Palpable fat cover is present on either side of the tail head
- 18. A high degreeof palpable fat exists over the ribs and around the tail head. Firm pressure is needed to feel the spinous processes
- 20. Considerable fat coveris present with a fleshy overall appearance. Fat cover over the ribs and around the tail head is very spongy. Fat “pones” or “rounds” may be starting to form along the tail head.
- 22. The animal isvery fleshy and appears overconditioned. Palpation of the spinous processes is near impossible. Large fat deposits are present over the ribs and around the tail head. Fat pones around the tail head are obvious.
- 24. The overall appearanceis blocky with extremely wasty and patchy fat cover. The tail head and hooks are buried in fatty tissue with fat pones protruding. Bone structure is no longer visible and barely palpable. Large fatty deposits may even impair animal mobility.
- 25. Body condition scoringis important because It is used as a tool to help optimize production evaluate health assess nutritional status
- 26. On average,most cows, especially beef cows, score in the range of 3 to 7 throughout the year. A cow is expected to be in optimal body condition (BCS 5-7) before calving. She may lose condition after calving and possibly into the breeding season. She may gain condition and weight as weaning approaches (there is adequate forage) and continue gaining fetal weight and any needed body condition in late gestation.
- 27. Body condition shouldbe evaluated and recorded four times a year. at weaning 60-90 days before calving at calving. and at the beginning of the breeding system/season.
- 28. Body condition is one of the most important things to know about when raising cattle. In breeding animals (cows, heifers and bulls), body condition is closely related to the fertility and forage convertibility. In beefers (steers and heifers raised for beef production), it determines health, ability to gain, and when the animals are ready for slaughter.
- 29. To makebody condition less extreme, you must first understand what body scoring is. You must get the cattle in. You must try and eye up the general condition of the cow. You have to work on the animal's right side. You should start with the area over the last rib and the spine above that point.
- 30. You shouldalways note the body condition score of each cow that you do. Repeat with other cows that are to be scored.
- 33.