Adequate beef cow body condition score (BCS) is fundamental to beef production and economic success. Cows that are managed to maintain body condition usually mean success and profitability; to have thin or failing cows usually means a failure or not profitable.
Beef cow body condition is an old topic that’s been used to measure responses to numerous supplement strategies. Research and discussion on BCS goes back many decades. I wrote a blog on this topic about five years ago: How bred cow condition affects body condition. So, I’m not going to cite many specific studies in this blog, but I will list some production criteria that are influenced by BCS, and I’ll explain its impact on performance and economics.
BCS can be negatively affected by drought, poor feed conditions, weather, and the nutrient demands of lactation.
It’s not uncommon for beef cows, especially those in rangeland systems, to lose 1–2 condition scores from calving until weaning. But how safe is that? Some things to consider:
- Nutrient demands during late gestation and early lactation are the highest they’ll be in a yearly production cycle.
- Extreme cold, drought and deteriorating rangelands can accelerate cows losing weight and decreasing body condition.
- Early weaning is a good strategy and can improve later BCS by about one condition score. That’s about 80–100 lb. of bodyweight based on today’s average cow size.
Supplementing cows grazing in early to mid-gestation is often necessary to maintain BCS and even add weight, providing that adequate forage (even if low quality) exists.
- The best time of year to supplement cows is in middle pregnancy and post weaning, as nutrient demands are the lowest. It’s an easy time for a cow and the most efficient time for her to gain weight. For spring-calving herds, this is usually late summer and early fall. If ample forage supplies exist, even if low quality, these can be utilized effectively with proper supplementation.
- A Montana state study in 2002 using Crystalyx versus a hand-fed range cube/cake supplement showed that Crystalyx could add body condition just as effectively or even more effectively. In today’s dollars, it would save approximately $17 per cow when considering labor and delivery cost.
Bodyweight change of beef cows supplemented CRYSTALYX or range cake/cubes while grazing fall and winter rangeland
Putting off supplementation and trying to add condition beyond mid-gestation and into late gestation is expensive.
- Young cows require more energy and will be set up for more challenges with calving and rebreeding if they calve in poor body condition.
- Heifers developed properly to conceive early in the breeding season and to calve early in the calving season will have increased longevity in the cow herd, but only if they maintain good body condition throughout their lives.
- Thin cows require more energy just to maintain, let alone gain. Adding a condition score in late gestation requires high-energy feed. It would take approximately 10 lb. of corn per day, plus good hay and/or a protein supplement that would cost in excess of $80. Feeding Crystalyx to maintain cows would cost about half that much.
Cows that calve in poor BCS will have:
- lower colostrum quality
- less vigorous calves with more health problems
- higher incidences of dystocia and metabolic issues such as retained placenta
- lower calf-weaning weights
- poorer conception rates and more days to return to estrus
- higher cull rates due to one or more of the above
- reduced profitability to the operation
Effect of BCS on pregnancy rate, calving interval, calf gain and weaning weight on subsequent income per cow exposed to breeding
It goes without saying that body condition is the common denominator to many aspects of successful beef cow production. Most supplement decisions start with evaluating the status of BCS in the herd and how to improve or maintain it. It’s wise to take the time to do condition scoring of your cows.
The U.S. scale of scoring is a subjective measurement score between 1–9, with 1 being extremely thin and 9 being obese. Optimal condition scores are in the 5–6 range.
It’s often good to look at cows at varying intervals and to record photos to help see even subtle changes over time. It may also be good to have other people, who don’t see your cows daily, to help body score your herd. That way, subtle changes can be noticed more easily.
Many tools are available to help with BCS. Crystalyx has an app called Beef Cow BCS that’s free to download on your smartphone. This app allows you to take photos of certain cows in a group and monitor their condition over time.
With production costs always being scrutinized, it may be tempting to cheat cows. Cheating never pays in the long run. The cost to maintain a cow with proper supplementation is much less expensive than adding condition. Additionally, the difference between profit and loss in a beef herd may only be one condition score.
Crystalyx supplements provide key nutrients to best utilize all types of forages and can be a key part of your supplement strategy to keep your cows as “cash cows.” It can help with cow herd longevity and the longevity of the beef cow enterprise.
To learn more, visit www.crystalyx.com.
