Body Condition Scoring Grid for Sheep (Sahel and Savannah areas)

Abstract

In tropical countries subject to significant quantitative and qualitative variations in the availability of fodder during the year, the dissatisfaction of feed needs is a frequent situation for animals reared in grazing systems without a sufficient supplementation with feed concentrates.<br>
The Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is a useful way to assess the state of body reserves (subcutaneous fat, muscle mass) which reflects the animal's production (growth, milk, work) and reproduction capacities. The evaluation of the body reserves of an animal through the scoring of their body condition is important to adjust their diet and appreciate their general state of health, as well as their reproductive and production capacity (meat, milk, work, etc.). Managing body reserves is one way of responding to variability in quality and access to feed resources. In females, reserves play an important buffer role during lactation. They can make up for insufficient intakes from the ration. Indeed, the level of production depends on the nutrients provided by the feeds, but also on the animal's body reserves when the feed-based supplies do not fully cover their needs, especially during the dry season. The BCS impacts the interval between two lambing. Overly lean females show a delay in the return of heat after lambing, the direct consequence of which is the increase in the parturition interval and consequently a decrease in herd productivity.<br>
The assessment of these reserves through Body Condition Scoring (BCS) represents a management tool for livestock farmers, agricultural advisors and livestock development stakeholders. BCS is a simple, inexpensive and fast method. Several animals can be scored in one session. It allows to compare the BCS of individuals or herds: 1) raised in different production systems or environments, 2) or, during different seasons (dry season and rainy season). BCS can be used as a tool for monitoring and alerting the nutritional level of domestic animal populations. To do this, BCS alert thresholds and a BCS collection and monitoring system must be defined on reasoned samples of animal populations.<br>
It is an easy-to-use field tool. However, a good mastery of the BCS grid as well as a regular practice of scoring are necessary to obtain precise and reproducible ratings. It can also be used as a tool for monitoring and alerting the nutritional level of animal populations. Thus, the farmer can be called at any time to intervene on the feed ration and / or the health of the animal.<br>
In African regions, most of the sheep breeds belongs to slender type, with elongated legs and poorly developed muscular masses. Fat is mainly deposited on internal organs (e.g. intermuscular). According to Richard (1997), it is possible to identify a scale of variation according to the general individual body condition following criteria similar to those used in Europe. Inspired in the body condition scoring grid (from 0 to 5) developed by Russel et al. (1969), Richard (1997) proposed a scoring system for Fulani sheep widely present in the Sahelian regions. <br>
In 2020, Vall proposed a standardized BCS scoring system for tropical livestock animals for large animals (cattle, camels), small animals (sheep, and goats) and for donkeys, and horses. This document presents this BCS system applied to the Sahelian goat. For harmonizing the BCS method to be used in sheep with regard to that used for other species, we propose a 6-level system assuming that sheep flocks and populations may include extreme animals, going from very thin (i.e. due to extreme feeding and nutritional conditions or as a consequence of gastrointestinal parasitism), to very fatty or obese (resulting from intensive farming with generous fattening feeding systems).