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Why body condition is so important

If we aim to have the breeding ewes and cows in optimal body condition throughout the year we will be ensuring both their well-being and their potential to achieve their performance targets.   

The body condition of adult breeding livestock is the best indicator of their well being and potential performance. Body condition is mainly a function of how well they are being fed, but debilitating conditions (eg. worms, lameness, poor teeth, chronic disease and trace element deficiencies) can also be important.

The way the breeding cow and ewe are fed throughout the year underpins their well-being and their productivity. The cow and ewe have a range of feed requirements according to their status during their annual production cycle – non-pregnant, pregnant with singles or multiples and lactation.  

A huge amount of research details feed requirements for ewes and cows throughout the year. However, this research was mostly done with small numbers of animals, generally housed and fed individually. Despite a good understanding of the protein and energy requirements of pregnant ewes and of the nutrient composition of forage and concentrate feeds, optimal welfare and productivity are seldom achieved using ‘blueprint’ nutritional management strategies. This situation arises because the nutritional requirements of individuals are not standard and because the nutrient composition of different forages and concentrate feed varies. This is accentuated on most New Zealand farms where ewes and cows are managed outside in large mobs so cold weather, social interaction and walking all have the potential to alter the feed demands at any time of the year. The problem is addressed by first adopting a general nutritional management strategy and then monitoring its success at strategic times to ensure that cows and ewes are in optimal body condition at certain times throughout their production cycles.

StockCARE® uses body condition in two ways:

•   As an indicator of general well-being particularly how they have been fed. 

• Body condition acts as a buffer against short term feed shortages and is most important during late pregnancy and early lactation. If the ewes or cows are not getting enough to eat they can use some of the fat off their backs.

The main benefits of optimal body condition throughout the year are shown in the table.