Body Condition Articles

Body Condition Score Chart

Description of Individual Condition Scores
(Score 1-9)
1. Poor: Animal extremely emaciated spinous processes! ri"s! tail#ead! tu"er coxae
(#ip $oints)! and isc#ia (lo%er pelvic "ones) pro$ectin& prominently "one
structure of %it#ers! s#oulders! and nec' easily noticea"le no fatty tissue can "e
felt
(. Very Thin: Animal emaciated sli&#t fat coverin& over "ase of spinous processes
transverse processes of lum"er verte"rae feel rounded spinous processes! ri"s!
tail#ead! tu"er coxae (#ip $oints) and isc#ia (lo%er pelvic "ones) prominent
%it#ers! s#oulders! and nec' structure faintly discerni"le.
). Thin: *at "uiltup a"out #alf%ay on spinous processes transverse processes can
not "e felt sli&#t fat cover over ri"s spinous processes and ri"s easily
discerni"le tail#ead prominent! "ut individual verte"rae cannot "e identified
visually tu"er coxae (#ip $oints)appear rounded "ut easily discerni"le tu"er
isc#ia (lo%er pelvic "ones) not distin&uis#a"le %it#ers! s#oulders and nec'
accentuated.
+. Moderately Thin: Sli&#t rid&e alon& "ac' faint outline of ri"s discerni"le
tail#ead prominence depends on conformation! fat can "e felt around it tu"er
coxae (#ip $oints) not discerni"le %it#ers! s#oulders! and nec' not o"viously t#in.
,. Moderate: -ac' is flat (no crease or rid&e) ri"s not visually distin&uis#a"le "ut
easily felt fat around tail#ead "e&innin& to feel spon&y %it#ers appears rounded
over spinous processes s#oulders and nec' "lend smoot#ly into "ody.
.. Moderately Fleshy: /ay #ave sli&#t crease do%n "ac' fat over spon&y fat
around tail#ead soft fat "e&innin& to "e deposited alon& t#e side of %it#ers!
"e#ind s#oulders! alon& sides of nec'.
0. Fleshy: /ay #ave crease do%n "ac' individual ri"s can "e felt! "ut noticea"le
fillin& "et%een ri"s %it# fat fat around tail#ead soft fat deposited alon& %it#ers!
"e#ind s#oulders! and alon& nec'.
1. Fat: Crease do%n "ac' difficult to feel ri"s fat around tail#ead very soft area
alon& %it#ers filled %it# fat area "e#ind s#oulder filled %it# fat noticea"le
t#ic'enin& of nec' fat deposited alon& inner t#i&#s.
9. Extremely Fat: 2"vious crease do%n "ac' patc#y fat appearin& over ri"s
"uld&in& fat around tail#ead! alon& %it#ers! "e#ind s#oulders! and alon& nec' fat
alon& inner t#i&#s may ru" to&et#er flan' filled %it# fat.