The cow whose bones rattle when she walks looks like she has slim-and-none chances of rebreeding. The one waddling around like an over-stuffed sausage is eating enough for two cows and producing for one.

And they’re both dining off the same menu.

Talking with cattlemen at the Southeast Agricultural Research Center last week near Mound Valley, Kansas State University Livestock Specialist Karl Harborth suggested that a Body Condition Scoring program can help producers better manage both ends of the spectrum and everything in between.

Body Condition Scores run from 1 through 9 with 1 being a walking skeleton and 9 being freak show fat. Obviously, most cows will fall in between but there are still significant differences in how cows of different condition scores perform, particularly when it comes to rebreeding.

Although all good cattlemen always keep an eye on cow condition, a more formal system can provide a more objective set of parameters upon which management decisions can be made, Harborth told beef producers at the Beef Cattle and Forage Crops Field Day.

“It’s probably something you already do in your mind,” he said, “but if you formalize it—assign a score and write it down every few months—you’ll have a much better idea of what’s happening in your herd.

“Body condition scoring is the cheapest tool you can use and it can be extremely useful.”

Noting that a body condition score of 5 is considered adequate for mature cows at calving time—5.5-6 for first-calf females—Harborth pointed out that there is a high correlation between timely cycling and good body condition.

Time after time, research has proven that cows in moderate to good flesh breed back much faster than thin cows.

A cow with a body condition score of 5 has some cover but not excess fat, Harborth explained. You won’t see much of any indication of ribs and the spaces between her spinal processes won’t be visible. Slip down to a 2 and you’re going to see very little indication of muscle, plenty of rib, and that backbone is going to be sticking up sharp.

And only about 10 percent of those “2” cows are going to breed back on time compared to 80-90 percent of those in the 5-6 range.

While 5 is the condition score to shoot for in mature cows, Harborth stresses that first-calf heifers are still growing and need a little extra condition to meet the simultaneous needs of growth and pregnancy.

Assigning body condition scores enables the producer to sort cows into groups for more efficient feeding, Harborth noted. Separating thin cows that need extra nutrition from cows that are in good shape prevents over- or under-feeding either group.

Keeping an eye on body condition can also help producers determine the best time to wean calves since poor condition cows would benefit from having some extra time to put weight back on, Harborth said.