Body condition scoring in sheep is a fundamental welfare monitoring tool. Chronic undernutrition and wasting cause significant suffering that is preventable through attentive nutritional management.
Body condition management is the foundation of sheep welfare. A ewe entering late pregnancy in poor body condition faces compounding welfare crises: insufficient energy for fetal development leading to pregnancy toxemia, insufficient colostrum for lamb immunity, and insufficient milk for adequate lamb growth. The welfare suffering of pregnancy toxemia - weakness, neurological signs, recumbency, and death - is severe and preventable through simple nutritional management. Regular BCS assessment gives farmers the information needed to provide targeted supplementation to individuals below target. This precision feeding approach improves welfare and reduces production losses simultaneously.