A study to compare the French and American methods for appreciate of body condition of beef cattle

Abstract

The aime of this study was to compare two methods for appreciate of body condition score (BCS)(method I.: French, from 1 to 5 score; method II: American, from 1 to 9 score). In 2000, Charolais young bulls and cows were examined in two seedstock herds (young bulls, herd A: n=14; cows, herd B: n=37). The average of body weight (BW) was 522 kg in herd A, and 644 kg in herd B. Body measurements (height at wither, HW: 120 cm; chest girth, CG,: 187 cm; slanting body length, SBL: 158 cm; scrotal circumference, SC: 33.7 cm) of the young bulls were taken in the herd A. We observed similar body condition scores by the method I. in both herds (BCS, bulls: 1.9 score; cows: 1.6 score). The results by the method II. were following: (BCS, bulls: 5.5 score; cows: 3.7 score). Analysing the correlation of French and American BCS and body measurements we concluded that the correlation coefficients were similar in the group of bulls (method I.: BCS vs. HW: r=0.62 , P<0.05; BCS vs. CG: r=0.65, P<0.05; BCS vs. SC: r=0.42; method II.: BCS vs. HW: r=0.66, P<0.05; BCS vs. CG: r=0.74, P<0.01; BCS vs. SC: r=0.63, P<0.05). Medium correlation coefficients (bulls: r=0.60, P<0.05; cows: r=0.42, P<0.01) was found between the French BCS and the Amarican BCS. These results suggest that two methods can not be replaced with each other. Two methods (method of regression and method of rate pair) to transform the French BCS to American BCS. Considering our results it can be suggested the utilisation of the regression equations to this conversion.