Skip to content

Condition scoring for sheep

Body Condition scoring (BCS) of sheep is a quick and simple management tool to assess the body reserves of sheep throughout the year.

Ensuring the animals are in target condition at key timings through the reproductive cycle offers benefits such as:

  • Higher scanning, lambing and weaning %
  • Reduced ewe mortality
  • Production of viable and heavier lambs with a good immunity
  • Higher weaning weights
  • Production of more colostrum and milk
  • Improved maternal behavior

Condition scoring is a physical rather than visual examination of sheep. Flocks are often made up of different breeds which have varying frame sizes, fleece cover and genetics, and sheep may have gut fill or a full fleece. Therefore it is extremely difficult to assess the body reserves of a mature sheep visually.

Along with our technical notes below, we also have a practical guide on how to condition score which you can read here.

We have a range of materials that can help guide you with condition scoring:

Sign up to the FAS newsletter

Receive updates on news, events and publications from Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service