Body condition scoring is common in beef, dairy and equine settings. It is not that easy in sow herds and human variables add complexity. Cary Sexton, DVM, working with a sow caliper device designed by Mark Knauer, PhD, were able to standardize sow body condition instead of relying on visual scores after training staff members.
Employees using the sow caliper regularly also observe sows more frequently. Health issues like lameness can be caught early and addressed before growing into major health problems” – Cary Sexton, DVM
Source: The Pig Site, March 17, 2021. Link. Sexton said his biggest surprise was seeing how the small differences between body conditions can cause big variabilities in the animal.
INSIGHTS: Tools like the caliper help develop consistency and easily work into SOPs. This is helpful as personnel churn in production facilities makes management consistency a challenge. Share this article with herd managers to help them get their optimum production outcomes.