Body Condition Scoring

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Appendix
APPENDIX A
Te following information in Appendix A was provided by Elanco Animal Health.
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Appendix (continued)
Dairy Body Condition Score (BCS) Chart
First view the pelvic
area from the side.
Check line from hooks,
to the thurl, to the pins.
If the line forms a fattened V then
BCS 3.0.
1 If hooks rounded
BCS = 3.0.
2 If hooks angular
BCS 2.75.
3 If pins angular
BCS < 2.75.
If palpable fat pad
on point of pins
BCS = 2.50.
4 If no fat pad on pins BCS < 2.50. View the short ribs.
Look for corrugations along the top of short ribs as fat
covering disappears. If corrugations visible 1.2 way between
tip and spine of short ribs, BCS = 2.25. If corrugations visible
3/4 way from tip to spine BCS = 2.0. If thrul prominent and
saw-toothed spine BCS < 2.0.
APPENDIX A - PAGE 1
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APPENDIX A - PAGE 3
Dairy Body Condition Score (BCS) Chart
A
1 If sacral and
tailhead ligament
visible BCS = 3.25.
U If the line forms a crescent or
fattened U consider BCS 3.25
2 If sacral ligament
visible and tailhead
ligament barley visible
BCS = 3.50.
3 If sacral ligament barely visible
and tailhead ligament not visible
BCA= 3.75. If sacral and tailhead
ligament not visible BCS 4.0.
4 If thurl fat BCS > 4.0. If tip of short
ribs barely visible BCS = 4.25. If thurl
fat and pins buried BCS = 4.5. If hooks
barely visible BCS = 4.75. If all boney
prominences well rounded BCS = 5.0.
APPENDIX A - PAGE 3
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Body Condition Scoring in Dairy Cattle
Body condition refers to the relative amount of subcutaneous body fat or energy reserve in the cow. Wildman et.
al.1 developed a 5-point (1-5) scoring system to measure the relative amount of this subcutaneous body fat. Most
body condition scoring (BCS) systems in dairy cattle use the 5-point scoring system, with quarter point increments.
Body condition scoring of dairy cattle is an important management tool for maximizing milk production and
reproductive efciency while reducing the incidence of metabolic and other peripartum diseases.
Over-conditioning at the time of calving (BCS>4.0) ofen results in reduced feed intake and increased incidence of
peripartum problems. Under-conditioning at calving (BCS<3.0) ofen results in lower peak milk yield and less milk
for the entire lactation. Also, cows should not lose more than 1.0 body score during early lactation. Excessive loss of
body condition in early lactation has been shown to reduce reproductive efciency.
Dr. James Ferguson and coworkers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed an organized process for BCS
dairy cows. Tis system utilizes a fow chart which directs the scorer to view certain anatomical sites of the pelvic
and loin area. Use of the fow chart helps develop consistency and repeatability in VCS. Tis system concentrates its
accuracy toward the mid scores (2.5 to 4.0) which include most cows. Te mid-range BCS are also the most critical
for making management decisions. Scores above or below this range indicate signifcant problems. Exact scoring of
extremes in BCS are less critical.
While the majority of cows conform to the described criteria, a few cows may not ft exactly. Te fnal BCS may
need to be adjusted based upon consideration of observations from all designated areas. Also realize that using the
quarter point system many cows will fall between two scores (i.e., 2.75 and 3.0). Under those circumstances the
scorer will need to make a judgment as to the closest score. Quarter point diferences in scores are not signifcant
under most circumstances.
Te frst described step in the fow chart is to determine if the line from the hook bone, to the thuri, to the pin bone
is angular (V) or crescent (U). Tis step is ofen the most difcult of the scoring process, especially if the cow is
near the 3.0 or 3.25 score. If uncertain of the V or U proceed to the next step. View the cow from the rear. Observe
the amount of padding over the hook and pin bones and the prominence of the tailhead and sacral ligaments. From
this point the scorer can usually determine the appropriate score. When a BCS has been determined, the scorer
should continue the evaluation process at least an additional step to confrm the fnal score.
Anatomical areas used in the fow chart are identifed below.
Wildman, EE, GM Jones, PE Wagner, RI Bowman,
HF Trout, and TN Lesch, 1982. A dairy cow body
condition scoring system and its relationship to
selected production variables in high-producing
Holstein dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci., 65: 495.
Ferguson JD, Galligan DT, and Tornsen N. 1994.
Principal descriptors of body condition score in
Holstein cows. J. DAiry Sci. 77: 2695-2703.
Elanco would like to acknowledge David McClary,
DVM and John Kube for assistance on this project.
Illustrations by Barb Spike.
Copyright 1997 by Elanco Animal Health
APPENDIX A - PAGE 4
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