Optimal Body Condition for Reproduction Whether breeders are balancing a feed ration in the showbarn or in the pasture, goat producers need to understand body score conditioning. Body condition is critical to every producers kidding season. Boer does that are too fat or too thin can experience reproduction complications. Overweight or underweight does may experience low twinning rates, low weaning weights or have general reproduction failure. To ensure that does are maintain the proper weight, breeders can use the body conditioning scoring method. Socring the body condition of Boer goats is simple and consistent. The biggest challenge is that producers learning to score goats, should handle the goats over several key places, including the ribs, backbone and sides of the spine. Body conditon scores are illustrated in the chart below, on a score of 1 to 5, where 1 is very, very thin and 5 is obese. Optimal breeding score is good condition (3). Score
Spinous Process
Rib Cage
Loin Eye
BCS1 (Very thin)
Easy to see and feel.
Easy to feel and can feel under.
No fat covering
BCS2 (Thin)
Easy to fee, buy smooth.
Easy to fee, buy smooth. Smooth, slightly rounded, need to use slight pressur to feel.
Smooth, even fat cover
BCS3 (Good condition)
Smooth and rounded
Smooth, even feel.
Smooth, even fat cover
BCS4 (Fat) BCS5 ( Obese)
Can feel with firm pressure, Individual reibs can not be felt, but can no points can be felt. still feel indent betwen ribs. Smooth, no individual vertebra can be felt.
Thick, fat cover
Individual ribs can not be felt. No Thick fat coverning may be separation of ribs. lumpt and “jiggly.”
The following definitions are reprinted from Penn State Extension. More information is available online at http://extension.psu.edu/courses/ meat-goat/reproduction/body-condition-scoring/term-definitions.
The spinous process refers to the individual vertebra in the spine. If you run your fingers down the goat's spine from the shoulders to the tail head and you feel sharp, distinct points you would use a BCS of 1 to describe the goat. If you run your fingers down the spine and feel lumps of smooth flesh you would use a BCS of 3. The loin eye edge or loin eye is the area you will feel if you place your thumbs on the goat's spine, while standing behind the goat. Curl your fingers down as if you were going
26 - The Boer Goat
to pick the goat up. You will now have cupped in your hand a shelf-like area. This area is the loin eye. Loin eye is measured in terms of depth (spine to ribs), length (hip bones to the last rib) and the width (from loin eye edge to opposite loin eye edge). The easiest way to learn how fat cover feels is to find a very thin animal and gently run your fingers from the spine down over the ribs while your fingers are together, but extended. You will be able to feel each rib very easily. Now find
