Body Condition Scoring

[SheepGirl]

SheepGirl submitted a new resource:

Body Condition Scoring - How fat is your sheep, really?

Body condition scoring is a vital tool in determining how much condition (fat) your sheep has. It helps you determine if your sheep is too fat, too thin, or just right.

Sheep body condition scores range from 1 to 5, with 1 being emaciated and 5 being obese.

SCORE ONE - Emaciated
View attachment 629
SCORE TWO - Thin
View attachment 632

SCORE THREE - Average
View attachment 630

SCORE FOUR - Fat
(This ewe is also 4 months bred, however, her body condition was at a 4 out of...

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[HeatherL]

Thanks for putting up pictures with scores.

 

[bloonskiller911]

VERY HELPFUL!!!!1

 

[eweinHiscare]

Thanks for this, the pictures are helpful. Now that my sheep are in full fleece it is more difficult to tell if they are staying in good condition.

I tried to feel for the bony places on their hips through all that wool and they seem ok, but is there a better place to check for muscle ?

They ended summer plump, but now they are sometimes wasting grass hay in drylot and I'm wondering. They also get oats everyday but I am wary of overfeeding grain.

 

[SheepGirl]

You can feel the cover over their ribs and spine. Those are the two places I usually look at.