Body condition scoring in dairy herds

Managing body condition score is all about managing your herd's nutrition program. Condition scoring your cows at critical times let's you know if you need to consider changing herd nutrition.

For real-life photos of Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cows in condition scores 3-6 click here.

For further information or to obtain a copy of The Condition Magician booklet contact Harris Park Group (03) 9620 7283 or download a bulk order form and fax to Coghlans (03) 9312 6910. 

The purpose of body condition scoring  

What is body condition scoring?

• Body condition scoring is the visual assessment of the amount of muscle and fat covering the bones of the cow
• Body condition score can be assessed independently of cow liveweight, gut fill or pregnancy
• Body condition scoring involves assessing specific points on the cow
  

Why body condition score?

• Body condition affects milk production and reproductive performance in dairy cows
• Body condition scoring enables you to compare the condition of your cows with recommended targets
• Knowledge of the body condition score of your herd will enable you to manage herd feeding better

The 8-point body condition scale

• This guide is based on the 8-point scale described by David Earle in the 1970s
• The range is from emaciated/very little flesh over the skeleton (score 1) through to very fat/heavy fat cover (score 8)
• Only cows in scores of 3 to 6 are described here.
  - Cows in body condition score less than 3 are very thin and are either severely undernourished or suffering from disease
  - Cows in body condition score greater than 6 are over fat and are at risk of suffering from a variety of metabolic diseases after calving
• The body condition scoring method described provides a common language for farmers, advisers and researchers to describe the body condition of dairy cows.

How to body condition score a cow

• Body condition scoring is a simple process that can be carried out in the paddock or at the dairy
• To score condition there are five key points of the cow that need to be looked at.

The area between the tail and pins is the first place to start. This is the area of the cow where it is easiest to see that she is starting to lay down fat.

Look closely at this area and use this flow chart to decide if it is deeply sunken, sunken, slightly sunken or filled in.

To confirm the score that you have reached, view real-life photos of Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cows in condition scores 3 to 6.