Condition scoring is a process to assess the body reserves of a mature sheep. Condition scoring measures the tissue cover (fat and muscle) over the loin area. The animal is best examined in a race when it is standing and relaxed.
Condition scoring can be used to assess the average condition score of a mob or sometimes it is used to draft individual sheep in a mob so they can be managed in specific nutritional groups. About 25 to 50 sheep scored at random (from the middle of the mob) provides an accurate indication of the mob’s nutritional status.
Condition score is a useful tool for understanding the nutritional status of sheep because it more directly reflects the underlying changes in muscle and fat as the animal’s nutritional status changes.
Condition score (CS) is used across Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia to manage the nutritional status of adult breeding sheep. In New South Wales, fat score (FS) has also been adapted to assess the nutritional status of adult sheep, particularly in relation to flock reproduction targets.
Condition score recording sheet
Recording the condition score
Randomly score 25-50 sheep from the middle of the mob. Record the condition score of each sheep with an X on the chart. The middle score of the distribution is close to the average. In this example with 25 sheep, the median value is 3.0 but by using the chart you can see the average is just less than 3.0.
Source: Lifetime Wool Project
