Condition score 9:
The cavity around the tail head is not visible and folded fatty tissue is clearly visible around the tail head
area. It is difficult to feel the pelvic bone although possible with very firm pressure. The ends of the tranverse
processes cannot be felt anymore. The cavity between
the backbone and tranverse processes is filled up with
fatty tissues and may even have a bulging appearance.
In closing
Body condition scoring can be used as a tool to evaluate the feeding programme on a dairy farm. It is generally accepted that the body condition of cows at
calving affects the milk yield and reproductive performance of cows in the subsequent lactation period.
Scoring cows should therefore be part of the feeding
management of a dairy herd. It needs to be done regularly to correct the feeding programme of cows in
the different stages of the lactation period. The body
condition of cows is scored at the tail head and loin
area separately after which it is combined in a final
score. The tail head area is used as the reference score
with the score in the loin area confirming or adapting
the final tail head score. There are currently a number
of different body condition scoring systems each with
its own definitions indicating scores. It is therefore
important when discussing condition scores with feed
company representatives and the herd veterinarian
that the same system is being used by different people. Some systems use half scores while others use full
scores. A condition score of 3.0 to 3.5 is similar to a
score of 5 to 6 on another scoring system. The accuracy of body condition scoring can be improved by using the camera technology at the same time as cows
being weighed on a walk-over scale.