This is an excellent time of year for producers to be evaluating body condition scores on cows, a South Dakota State University specialist said.

"Once the calf is weaned, the cow's nutrient requirements really drop off dramatically," SDSU Extension Beef Specialist Cody Wright said. "That presents us with a tremendous opportunity to improve her body condition score going into the winter months, prior to the time when her nutrient demands start to increase in late gestation and early lactation."

During this mid-gestation period, farmers and ranchers can use forages, supplements, grains, or a combination of feeds to help improve body condition score of cows that might be a little thin. That's especially important with young cows in the 2- to 3-year-old range, Wright added.

"Generally those type of females have a little bit higher nutrient demand because they're still growing, they're still in the maturation process. To get them a little bit extra feed and try to improve their body condition score can be very, very valuable and very helpful in terms of getting them re-bred the following year."

Wright adds that SDSU professor Dick Pruitt and a former SDSU graduate student, Pat Momont--now a district director with University of Idaho Extension--were at the forefront of research using body condition scores as a management tool to keep animals in good condition going into breeding season.

Body condition scoring uses a 1-through-9 system to visually evaluate cow body condition. Cows classified as condition score 4 to 6 would be considered moderate in condition, with cows scoring 1 to 3 being thin and cows scoring 7 or greater being relatively fat.

Information from Pruitt and Momont's three-year study at the South Dakota State University Range and Livestock Research Station near Cottonwood is available online at this link: http://ars.sdstate.edu/Facilities/Bodycond.htm.

Or ask for more information about body condition scores from your nearest SDSU Extension livestock educator.