CSIRO Publishing blank image blank image blank image blank imageBooksblank image blank image blank image blank imageJournalsblank image blank image blank image blank imageAbout Usblank image blank image blank image blank imageShopping Cartblank image blank image blank image You are here: Journals > Animal Production Science   
Animal Production Science
Journal Banner
  Food, Fibre and Pharmaceuticals from Animals
 
blank image Search
 
blank image blank image
blank image
 
  Advanced Search
   

Journal Home
About the Journal
Editorial Board
Contacts
Content
Online Early
Current Issue
Just Accepted
All Issues
Special Issues
Research Fronts
Reviews
Sample Issue
For Authors
General Information
Notes for Authors
Submit Article
Open Access
For Referees
Referee Guidelines
Review Article
For Subscribers
Subscription Prices
Customer Service
Print Publication Dates

New Feature

New Commenting Tool
Join the conversation and leave comments on all new journal articles.


blue arrow e-Alerts
blank image
Subscribe to our Email Alert or RSS feeds for the latest journal papers.

red arrow Connect with us
blank image
facebook   youtube

 

Open Access Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 51(9)

The merit of condition score and fat score as alternatives to liveweight for managing the nutrition of ewes

A. J. van Burgel A F, C. M. Oldham A, R. Behrendt B, M. Curnow A, D. J. Gordon B C and A. N. Thompson B D E

A Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 444 Albany Highway, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.
B Department of Primary Industries Victoria, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
C Present address: Rural Industries Skills Training, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
D Present address: Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
E Present address: School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: andrew.vanburgel@agric.wa.gov.au

Animal Production Science 51(9) 834-841 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AN09146
Submitted: 6 November 2009  Accepted: 23 September 2010   Published: 14 September 2011
 
 Full Text
 PDF (409 KB)
 Export Citation
 Print
  
Abstract

The liveweight profile of Merino ewes is related to the production and profitability of the sheep enterprise, but few producers measure liveweight to manage the nutrition of Merino ewes. In this paper we examine the relationship between changes in liveweight and condition score using data from the Lifetimewool project and compare condition score and fat score as alternative monitoring tools. Analyses of liveweight and condition score data from 15 flocks of Merino ewes representing a range of different genotypes and environments showed that the relationship between change in liveweight and condition score was on average 9.2 kg per unit change in condition score or 0.19 times the standard reference weight of the flock. In two experiments experienced operators were used to estimate the condition score and fat score in over 200 ewes and accredited ultrasound scanners measured the eye muscle and fat depth at the C site in the same ewes. All assessments were repeated several times in random order. Within 24 h of the assessments the sheep were slaughtered at local abattoirs where the tissue depth at the GR site was measured on the hot carcasses. Both condition score and fat score were highly repeatable though subject to operator bias. They were related to each other and to the objective measures of fat and eye muscle depth at the C site. However, 95% of sheep below condition score 2.5 had a tissue depth (muscle and fat) at the GR site ≤3 mm, by definition equal to fat score 1. As the condition score of ewes on commercial properties often fluctuates between scores 2 and 3, and small changes in condition score within this range can have large effects on welfare and profit, we conclude that condition score is the most appropriate alternative to liveweight for managing the nutritional profile of ewes.



References

Bass JJ, Woods EG, Paulsen W (1982) A comparison of three ultrasonic machines and subjective fat and conformation scores for predicting chemical composition of sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 99, 529–532.
| CrossRef |

Behrendt R, van Burgel AJ, Bailey A, Barber P, Curnow M, Gordon DJ, Hocking Edwards JE, Oldham CM, Thompson AN (2011) On-farm paddock-scale comparisons across southern Australia confirm that increasing the nutrition of Merino ewes improves their production and the lifetime performance of their progeny. Animal Production Science 51, 805–812.
| CrossRef |

Caldeira RM, Vaz Portugal A (1991) Interrelationship between body condition and metabolic status in ewes. Small Ruminant Research 6, 15–24.
| CrossRef |

Caldeira RM, Belo AT, Santos CC, Vazgues MI, Portugal AV (2007) The effect of long-term feed restriction and over-nutrition on body condition score, blood metabolites and hormonal profiles in ewes. Small Ruminant Research 68, 242–255.
| CrossRef |

CSIRO (2007) ‘Nutrient requirements of domesticated ruminants.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)

Curnow M, Oldham CM, Behrendt R, Gordon DJ, Hyder MW, Rose IJ, Whale JW, Young JM, Thompson AN (2011) Successful adoption of new guidelines for the nutritional management of ewes is dependent on the development of appropriate tools and information. Animal Production Science 51, 851–856.
| CrossRef |

Delfa R, Teixeira A, Colomer-Rocher F (1989) A note on the use of a lumbar joint as a predictor of body fat depots in Aragonesa ewes with different body condition scores. Animal Production 49, 327–329.
| CrossRef |

Dukes HH (1947) ‘The physiology of domestic animals.’ 6th edn. (Comstock Publishing: Ithaca, NY)

Ferguson MB, Thompson AN, Gordon DJ, Hyder MW, Kearney GA, Oldham CM, Paganoni BL (2011) The wool production and reproduction of Merino ewes can be predicted from changes in liveweight during pregnancy and lactation. Animal Production Science 51, 763–775.
| CrossRef |

Frutos P, Mantecon AR, Giraldez FJ (1997) Relationship of body condition score and live weight with body composition in mature churra ewes. Animal Science 64, 447–452.
| CrossRef |

Hegarty RS, Shands C, Marchant R, Hopkins DL, Ball A, Harden S (2006) Effects of available nutrition and the growth and muscling potential of sires on the development of crossbred lambs. 1: Growth and carcass characteristics. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 593–603.
| CrossRef | CAS |

Jefferies BC (1961) Body condition scoring and its use in management. Tasmanian Journal of Agriculture 39, 19–21.

Jones A, van Burgel AJ, Behrendt R, Curnow M, Gordon DJ, Oldham CM, Rose IJ, Thompson AN (2011) Evaluation of the impact of Lifetimewool on sheep producers. Animal Production Science 51, 857–865.
| CrossRef |

Kelly RW (1992) Lamb mortality and growth to weaning in commercial Merino flocks in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 43, 1399–1416.
| CrossRef |

Kirton AH, Johnson DL (1977) Interrelationships between GR and other lamb carcass fatness measurements. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 37, 194–201.

Kirton AH, Sinclair DP, Dobbie JL (1978) Overfat lambs: significance, GR measurement and management strategies. In ‘Proceedings of the Ruakura Farmers’ Conference 1978’. Farm Production and Practice 126. (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries: Wellington)

Kirton AH, Uljee AE, Duganzich DM, Feist CL (1991) Estimation by drafters of rib tissue thickness (GR) and carcass weight of live lambs. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 34, 69–74.

Luff A (2005) Scanning sheep for carcase. In ‘Real-time ultrasound scanning applications in livestock assessment’. (Eds M Wolcott, J Allen) pp. 24–25. (AGBU, University of New England: Armidale, NSW)

Moxham RW, Brownlie LE (1976) Sheep carcase grading and classification in Australia. Wool Technology and Sheep Breeding 23, 17–25.

O’Halloran WJ, Thompson JM, McNeill DM, May TJ, Jackson-Hope NJ (1986) The effect of pre-slaughter fasting on liveweight, carcase weight and fat loss in prime lambs. Wool Technology and Sheep Breeding 34, 12–16.

Oldham CM, Thompson AN, Ferguson MB, Gordon DJ, Kearney GA, Paganoni BL (2011) The birthweight and survival of Merino lambs can be predicted from the profile of liveweight change of their mothers during pregnancy. Animal Production Science 51, 776–783.
| CrossRef |

Oregui LM, Vicente MS, Garro J, Bravo MV (1991) The relationship between body condition score and body weight in latxa ewes. Options Mediterraneans – Serie Seminaires 13, 109–112.

Payne RW (Ed.) (2009) ‘The Guide to Genstat Release 12. Part 2: Statistics.’ (VSN International: Hemel Hempstead, UK)

Russel AJF, Doney JM, Gunn RG (1969) Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72, 451–454.
| CrossRef |

Sanson DW, West TR, Tatman WR, Riley ML, Judkins MB, Moss GE (1993) Relationship of body composition of mature ewes with condition score and body weight. Journal of Animal Science 71, 1112–1116.
| CAS |

Shands CG, McLeod B, Lollback ML, Duddy G, Hatcher S, O’Halloran WJ (2009) Comparison of manual assessments of ewe fat reserves for on-farm use. Animal Production Science 49, 630–636.
| CrossRef |

Teixeira A, Delfa R, Colomer-Rocher F (1989) Relationships between fat depots and body condition score or tail fatness in the Rasa Aragonesa breed. Animal Production 49, 275–280.
| CrossRef |

Thompson AN, Ferguson MB, Campbell AJD, Gordon DJ, Kearney GA, Oldham CM, Paganoni BL (2011a) Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy and lactation increases weaning weight and survival of progeny but does not affect their mature size. Animal Production Science 51, 784–793.
| CrossRef |

Thompson AN, Ferguson MB, Gordon DJ, Kearney GA, Oldham CM, Paganoni BL (2011b) Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny’s wool during their lifetime and these effects can be predicted from the ewe’s liveweight profile. Animal Production Science 51, 794–804.
| CrossRef |

White A, Holst P (2006) Fat scoring sheep and lambs. Primefact 302, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW.

Young JM, Thompson AN, Curnow M, Oldham CM (2011) Whole-farm profit and the optimum maternal liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks lambing in winter and spring are influenced by the effects of ewe nutrition on the progeny’s survival and lifetime wool production. Animal Production Science 51, 821–833.
| CrossRef |


   
 


    
Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help

CSIRO

© CSIRO 1996-2013