The key time to have a ewe in adequate body condition score (BCS) is entering late pregnancy and all steps should be taken to ensure that ewes do not lose body condition during this time.

However, there can also be many benefits of condition scoring ewes throughout the rest of the year according to the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) who recently released a guidance note on the practice which we will examine in detail.

Body condition scoring is a cheap and effective management tool for all flock owners to use to evaluate the body reserves of adult sheep. It also allows for the nutritional management of the ewe to alter throughout the year.

Pre-tupping management

Due to the lack of growth over the past few months, many ewes may have been kept on parks with tight pasture. This could result on them being in a low BCS when they go the tup, which will impact on conception rates within the flock. Ensuring ewes are in target condition at key timings has many benefits including a higher scanning, lambing and weaning percentage and reduced ewe mortality. It also leads to lambs with heavier weights at weaning as a result of increased production of colostrum and milk.

Condition scoring at weaning or at least eight weeks pre-tupping is described by FAS as vital. If carried out at this stage it allows the opportunity to adjust the management of the individual ewes if scores are too low and give them some preferential treatment. With grass growth picking up again over the past two weeks in many parts then there is the option of putting ewes with low BCS onto parks with good regrowth.

Ewes that have reared multiple lambs or hoggs would fall into this category. Hill ewes are the most vulnerable as they may not be able to survive the winter if they are returned to the hill in poor condition this autumn.

Body condition scoring is a physical examination of sheep where you actually feel along the back of the ewe and assign a score from 0-5.

It takes about eight weeks to change one condition score in a typical situation. A unit of BCS equates to approximately 12% of the mature sheep’s liveweight. This means that a 70kg ewe would need to lose or gain 8.4kg to move a BCS.

Ewes at the wrong condition in tupping can encounter problems such as coming into oestrus slowly or erratically, foetal reabsorption or a low lambing percentage.

Ensuring tups are in good condition is also vital to a successful breeding season. They should be in a fit condition for working and have a BCS of 3.5 to 4.0. Again, a pre-tupping check should be carried out eight to 12 weeks prior to breeding to allow time for any changes to be made if necessary. Tups can lose up to 15% of their bodyweight during the mating season and a small amount of meal may be required from six weeks pre-tupping if not in the correct BCS. This will also increase energy, allow for testicular growth and semen production.

However, overfat rams can also have major issues as they can have a reduced libido, while fat in the scrotal neck can increase temperature in the testes reducing semen quality.

Condition scoring

From a visual examination it is difficult to determine the level of flesh on a sheep with different breeds having varying frame sizes and fleece covers.

BCS is carried out on a scale from 0-5 but 0 is very rarely used as it would mean that the sheep is on the point of death as it would be severely emaciated. Condition scoring is carried out by handling the animal over and round the back bone in the area of the loin above the last long rib as seen in figure one. Using the balls of your fingers and your thumb, feel the level of fat cover over the spine with your thumb and the level of roundness of muscle and fat cover over the short ribs with your fingers.

Key points

Hill ewes in very good condition, such as a score of 3, at tupping have a higher likelihood of carrying twins, which may not be desirable in the hill situation. One option is to keep these ewes on poorer grazings prior to tupping. However, it is also important that ewes do not go back to the hills in too poor a condition. They should not have a score of less than 2 as they will not gain any condition on poor hill grazing which means they will struggle to survive the winter.

Further information can be got on the FAS Technical Note TN6702.