body condition score

An assessment of the animal's weight for age and weight for height ratios, and its relative proportions of muscle and fat. The assessment is made by eye, on the basis of amount of tissue cover between the points of the hip, over the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, the cover over the ribs and the pin bones below the tail. Each animal is graded by comparison with animals pictured on the chart. The grading may be in a score of 5 or a score of 8.