The BCS competency assessment determines your ability to accurately and consistently body condition score. Assessment is required for those who have not passed an assessment before or for those whose certification lapsed more than 2 years ago.
These events are run by DairyNZ members of the calibration team and are run regionally throughout the year. It is strongly recommended that you attend a BCS training workshop prior to sitting the assessment.
The assessment takes approximately one and a half hours and consists of:
- Paddock scoring of a mob of at least 70 cows
- Hands-on scoring of 8 individual cows in a vet race
The autumn BCS events are here. See below for event dates and registration details. There is a fee of $280+GST to attend these events.
Note: There is an additional fee if you attend a training event.
| Region | Location | Date |
| Northland | Whangarei | 12 March 2026 |
| Waikato | Hamilton | 11 March 2026 12 March 2026 |
| Bay of Plenty | Reporoa | 25 February 2026 |
| Taranaki | Hawera | 31 March 2026 |
| Lower North Island | Manawatu | 25 March 2026 |
| Canterbury | Central Canterbury | 24 March 2026 |
| Southland/South Otago | Balclutha | 23 April 2026 |
If you have any questions or queries, please email bcscertification@dairynz.co.nz.
The programme has been developed as part of the Transforming the Dairy Value Chain Primary Growth Partnership programme, led by commercial partners, including DairyNZ and Fonterra, and partnered by MPI.




