Goldilocks And The Three Cows: BCS Helps Determine Which Cow Is “Just Right”


acceptable for mature cows, but a heifer that’s getting ready to calve should be at least a 6. As fat thickness and deposits in


while a large frame cow may need 100 pounds or more to move from a 4 to a 5.


“A weight change of 80 pounds may


Goldilocks and the three cows? After entering the bear’s house,


E


Goldilocks found many things too ex- treme – like the porridge, chairs and beds – but usually one was “just right.” Goldilocks, the beef cow rancher, also


has that dilemma with the cows in her pasture, some being too thin, some are too fat, but some are “just right.” “Goldilocks should take a lead from


beef research and body condition scores (BCS) her cows and uses that as part of her feeding management strat- egy. It’s especially helpful this year as feed supplies are short and expensive,” said Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension. BCS has been around since the


1970’s, but it is often forgotten. BCS provides a system for all breeding stock using a 1 to 9 score that represents very thin cows, 1 through 4, very fat, obese cows 7, 8 and 9 and those that


MT. VERNON, MO.


veryone knows the story about Goldilocks and the three bears. But, have you have heard about


are just right, 5’s and 6’s. “Condition scoring is typically done


visually in the pasture and may or may not be done on each individual cow,” said Cole. Indictors of fat over the back and ribs,


around the tailhead and through the brisket are key areas to be evaluated. Some producers prefer to handle the cows for fat thickness if they are being put through a chute for pregnancy checking or other practices. Ultrasound measuring could even be


used to more accurately measure fat thickness over the ribs and in the rump region. Cows, heifers and bulls that have


most of their ribs visible as well as their backbones will fall into the 1 to 4 BCS range. They also show a loss of appar- ent muscle thickness in the rear quar- ters as viewed from behind. The 5 and 6, “just right” breeding an-


imals will mostly be smooth due to fat covering. However a 5 score is usually given to those with the last pair or two of ribs just beginning to show. This is


the brisket region and around the tail- head increase, scores of 7, 8 and even a rare 9 usually indicates overfeeding, genetic differences, abundant high quality pasture or animal’s that have been on vacation. A BCS change of “one” usually re-


flects an 80 pound change in weight on a medium frame cow. Small frame ani- mals may show a change with less


take several weeks to make, especially when it’s being added. For this reason, cattle should be evaluated well ahead of calving or the breeding season if that is when you want a 4 BCS animal to become a 5,” said Cole. The problems associated with low


BCS scores include: slower return to estrus after calving; lower pregnancy


CONTINUED ON PAGE 14


UPI - Goreville, IL United Producers, Inc.


448 State Route 37 Goreville IL 62939 618-995-2327


United Producers Inc. is a


Claybrook Farms Female Sale 70 Lots “Right from the Heart of the Herd”


Saturday 1 P.M. at the farm October 29, 2011


45 Years Bull Sale


Breeding Angus Cattle for the Southeast


F Performance Testing


Saturday 1 P.M. at the farm November 19, 2011 35 Complete Performance Tested Angus Bulls


Foundation Breeding Rito, Traveler, and Shoshone


farmer-owned and operated cooperative, so


when you succeed


we succeed. That is why we offer competitive


financial programs, risk management and services designed


specifically


for livestock producers.


Claybrook Farm


845 Antioch Hwy. 51 Rd., Covington, TN 38019 email: Claybrook1@aol.com


Dave Turner: 901-355-5232 Cal Turner: 901-486-3937 4• MidAmerica Farmer Grower / October 21, 2011


Please visit our website at


www.uproducers.com


United Producers is having a slaughter cow/bull sale.


The sale will be the 3rd Monday


of every month, starting at 3 P.M. Bulls 70-90 Average 82.50


Fed Cows 74-85 Average 79.5 Lean Cows 50-65 Average 57.50


If you would like more information please contact the barn at 618-995-2327 or


Adam Duty, Facility Manager, 618-521-3436 Steve Dillow, Cattle Sales/ Cust Dev. 618-697-0378


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