Condition scoring information contributes to key decisions, such as:

• Determining future feed requirement (and feedback on historical strategy)
• Determining which cows to dry-off and when
• Explaining reproductive performance (condition at mating or BCS lost post-calving)

• Condition score targets

  Body condition score at calving	Body condition score at mating
  Mature cow: BCS of 5 Heifer & rising 3 year old: BCS of 5.5 with no more than 15% above or 15% below these targets	The average decrease in BCS for the herd after calving is no more than 1.0 No more than 15% of cows below BCS 4.0 and cows gaining BCS

  If the BCS of any animal falls below 3 (on a scale of 1-10) at any time, urgent action must be taken to improve condition.

How to BCS

Find out how to body condition score a cow using the "hands on" method.

Read more

Test yourself

How well can you BCS? Are you as good as you think? Complete one of the interactive courses to test yourself.

Read more

BCS strategies

Range in body condition score (BCS) is as important as average BCS at calving on New Zealand dairy farms.

Read more

Certified BCS Assessors

This page details certified body condition assessors who are able to accurately score your herd.

Read more