11-25 IAT Body Condition

As humans, we all worry about an index called BMI or body mass index. There are calculators, charts and formulae for how much weight we are carrying and, ultimately, how healthy we are. Guess what? Body condition score is an important consideration as you think about feeding the cow herd through the winter months. That's according to expert in beef production, Rick Rasby, who says body condition affects calf health at time of calving and how well cows will re-breed." Body condition score is actually a better measure of your nutrition program as compared to body weight. There is an optimal body condition that you would like to have cows at, that is related to reproduction, and also that calf may be able to handle a lot of stress at the time of calving. Feeding them beyond a body condition score of five in most cases, you are not going to get an increase in performance. That changes when you think about young females, especially for first half heifers is that probably having them with a body score of six would be pretty important because they are still trying to grow and so the idea is to be pro active, try to get them in ideal body condition prior to calving." Understanding the current condition of your cow herd is the first step - Rasby says - and a smartphone app has been developed to help in that process.