Documenting Adequate Nutrition Including Feed and Access to Feed

Access to adequate feed can be assessed, in part, by the BCS of the animals. Several BCS charts are available through extension offices, breed organizations, and agricultural university websites (see Resources). Every animal should be assessed for body condition based on a scoring system specific to that breed type, use, and production state. Selection of an appropriate scale depends on recognition of livestock use (meat vs. dairy), breed/type (light vs. draft horses; Bos taurus vs. Bos indicus, broilers vs. layers) and production stage (gestating, milking, open, in lay). Cite the scoring system used for the assessment of that species to avoid confusion. A BCS of 3 is “Ideal” in a 1-5 system, “Thin” if using a 1-9 scale, and “Fat” using 0-3. By tradition, BCS is recorded as: 3/5, 3/9, and 3/3, respectively. Some systems require visualization only while others require palpation of defined anatomical landmarks. Note that body condition scales with a range of 1-9 reserve the 1/9 score for animals that are demonstrably weak and/or ataxic. Videotape the animal in motion or attempting to rise if you report an individual as “emaciated.” If weakness is not demonstrable, then 2/9 is the lowest score that can be assigned to that individual. Animals that drop quickly in condition will show a loss of strength and coordination at relatively heavier weights than individuals who have had time to acclimate to a lower ration over a longer period of time. Dehydration hastens death in both chronic and acute cases (Madea, 2005; Gerdin et al., 2015).

If possible, record an actual weight at intake. Determining the weight of livestock species can be accomplished in several ways. Small ruminants, miniature horses, calves, some swine, and camelids can be weighed while on the farm with a portable platform scale, providing there is a solid, flat spot for installation. Some of the models have rechargeable batteries if electricity is not available. Large animal scales used at livestock auctions are less common. Alternatively, trailers can be weighed at a certified scale while empty and animals loaded individually, transported to the scale and returned to the farm. This method is labor intensive, time consuming, and stressful for the animals. Alternatively, weight tapes can be used to approximate the weight of horses (Ellis & Hollands, 1998; Hoffman et al., 2013), cattle (Wangchuk et al., 2018), pigs (Groesbeck et al., 2002; Sungirai et al., 2014), goats (Perez et al., 2016), and sheep (Thomas et al., 1997). Having an accurate weight at the beginning and end of rehabilitation provides objective evidence of the number of pounds gained and can be expressed as a percentage of total body weight. For example:

Horse X weighed 750 pounds (BCS 2/9) at seizure and was 1150 pounds with a BCS of 5/9 when released for adoption. This represents a 34.8% loss of body weight.

(Current Weight) — (Previous Weight) -=- Current Weight = % Body Weight Lost

An estimated Ideal Weight can be used for Current Weight if the animal is still recovering when the case goes to court.

Accurate documentation of body condition can be a challenge because of hair coat and lighting conditions. Photographing the animal from a variety of angles and with indirect lighting can highlight ribs or spines that are otherwise invisible. Utilizing bendable wire to demonstrate the contour of spines, short ribs, and breastbones that are palpated during assessment provides visible proof for court in fiber and feathered breeds. The technique was first described in laying hens (Gregory & Robins, 1998) but can be adapted to any species to provide a visual record. With the bird laying on its back, the wire is placed under the feathers and over the keel (breastbone) midway along its length. Gregory used a plastic coated 3 mm diameter wire, but any bendable wire that will hold its shape will work. Wire can be purchased at craft stores that have jewelry departments, hardware stores, or feed mills selling electric fence wire (14 gauge works well). For small ruminants with fiber, the wire can be molded over the midpoint of the loin (Figure 17.3). Photograph the wire on the animal and after removal on a contrasting background. The wires can be labeled with a piece of tape or a peel-and-stick label. Mounting the wire(s) next to a chart showing the contours with the assigned BCS provides a graphic but non-inflammatory depiction of the condition of the animal. Subsequent wires can show the improvement over time as the animal regains condition (Figure 17.4a-c).

If more than 20% of the animals in the group are underweight to emaciated, then one or more husbandry or animal-related causes may be evident (Ferrucci et al., 2012; Odriozola et al., 2018; Oliver-Espinosa, 2018). Investigation and documentation of all potential contributing factors must be undertaken. See Figure 17.5.