How to Determine a Body Condition Score in Goats
Determining a Body Condition Score (BCS) can help goat producers quantify the general health and nutritional status of their animals. A BCS ranges from 1 (severely underweight) to 5 (obese). Use these descriptions and pictures to help you rate and record your goat’s body condition over time.
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I raise Boer, Nubian, and Angora goats and take pride in keeping them healthy and productive. I want to share some of the management strategies that I have adopted over the thirty years I have been raising goats to help other producers with their herds.
Health Assessment in Goats
Twice a day, I count and visually observe all my goats. I make sure everyone is interested in eating, moves around normally, has a dry nose and mouth, and there is no evidence of loose stool. If one of my goats doesn’t appear well or act normally, I isolate them, take vitals, and seek medical advice from my veterinarian.
While looking at your animals can provide helpful information, putting your hands on them is also necessary to accurately determine their health status. Once a month, I catch each of my goats and check their inner eyelid color and feel their backbone, ribs, and brisket.
When I check the inner eyelid of my goats, I compare it to the official FAMACHA card that I obtained after completing the online course from the University of Rhode Island. You can enroll and get yours here. The FAMACHA score helps me determine whether my goats are anemic and should be dewormed.
Feeling the backbone, ribs, and brisket of my goats, as well as examining them visually, helps me determine their body condition score (BCS).
Body Condition Scoring
Body condition scoring is a method used in livestock production to quantify or objectively assess an animal’s general health and nutritional status. When determining a BCS, you will observe bony prominences and feel for muscle and fat cover, or lack thereof.
A BCS for goats ranges from 1 (severely underweight) to 5 (obese). A BCS of 3 is considered ideal for maintaining health.
Rating and recording a BCS for each of your animals monthly is a quick and easy way to monitor your herd’s health over time. I use the Livestocked app to store both my FAMACHA and BCS data.
Use the descriptions and images that follow to help you determine the BCS of your goats. The score rating criteria were adapted from information provided by Michigan State University Extension. The pictures provided are of my own animals.
Body Condition Score 1
Goats with a BCS of 1 appear very thin and emaciated, with no fat stores whatsoever. They lack muscle in the neck, brisket, loin, and rump. Ribs will be easily seen and, upon palpation, your fingers can enter the spaces between the ribs. The hips and pin bones are prominent, and the flank has a hollow appearance.
A goat with a BCS of 1 is severely underweight and requires intervention. The animal is starving or has an underlying medical condition that must be treated right away.
The example picture shows two Angora does the day that I purchased them, freshly shorn. The previous owner did not know they were so skinny until all their mohair was gone. This is a good reminder to not just look at, but feel your animals (using adequate pressure if they have fiber!)
Body Condition Score 2
Goats with a BCS of 2 appear lean and angular, with minimal muscle and fat covering. Some of their ribs will be visible, and you can feel, but not enter, the spaces between each rib with your fingertips. Hips and pins are clearly defined, and the flank is concave in appearance.
A goat with a BCS of 2 should be monitored. Does on the thinner side may have trouble conceiving and bucks with little fat reserves will be in rough shape after the demands of breeding season.
The example picture shows a Nubian doe that lost some condition while working on a brush removal project off the farm. She went back to a BCS of 3 once back on her normal feed ration. For more on using goats for vegetation management, click here to read my other article.
Body Condition Score 3
Goats with a BCS of 3 look fit. Their neck, shoulder, brisket, loin, and rump blend smoothly with moderate muscle coverage. Rib bones are barely discernable to the eye and spaces between the ribs are only felt when enough pressure is applied. A small indentation is exhibited in the flank area.
A BCS of 3 is ideal, animals that are too thin or too fat are more prone to health issues.
The example picture shows a Boer/Nubian cross doe thriving on rotational grazing.
Body Condition Score 4
Goats with a BCS of 4 appear sleek and robust. Due to the presence of adequate muscle and a layer of fat, the ribs and backbone are not visible, nor is there an indentation in the flank area. Fat accumulation in the brisket can be noted and felt.
We aim for a BCS of 4 for our goats that are ready to be butchered. Follow this link to learn more about meat goats and how goat meat compares to beef.
The example picture shows a high-ranking Boer doe that was fed a flushing ration prior to being exposed to the buck. Apparently she got more grain than some of her friends! For my breeding season management calendar (a free download), click here.
Body Condition Score 5
Goats with a BCS of 5 look boxy and overweight. Their neck appears short due to the amount of fat accumulation in the brisket region. Anatomical features are poorly defined, and the ribcage is hard to discern, even upon palpation with pressure. An uneven topline becomes evident as fat accumulates over the shoulders and rump, causing them to protrude.
A BCS of 5 can lead to joint and mobility issues. Furthermore, overweight does may have a harder time getting pregnant and are more prone to issues at kidding time. Meanwhile, obese bucks may exhibit lower libido.
The example picture shows a freshly shorn Angora buck. This was the shearing after I discovered how underweight the Angora does were, so I overcompensated by feeding them all too much.
