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Getting Hands On: Body Condition Scoring

One of the most useful things you can do for your alpacas’ long-term health is something incredibly simple: Body Condition Scoring (BCS).



What Is BCS?

Body Condition Scoring is a hands-on assessment of how much fat and muscle an alpaca is carrying. It helps you know whether an alpaca is underweight, overweight, or just right, regardless of their fleece or frame size.


We use a scale of 1 to 5, where:

  • 1 = Emaciated

  • 2 = Thin

  • 3 = Healthy and ideal

  • 4 = Overweight

  • 5 = Obese


Some people prefer to use a 1–10 scale, which is absolutely fine, but just be sure to clarify which scale you are using when talking with your vet, as a 5/5 is obese, but a 5/10 is ideal!


The Alpaca Association New Zealand have a very helpful Body Scoring Card here (using a 1-5 scale) which shows what you are looking for when BCS.



Why Body Condition Score Alpacas?

Body Condition Scoring is one of the best ways to spot early changes in weight and overall condition. It can highlight if an alpaca is losing or gaining weight before it's obvious to the eye—especially under all that fleece! Regular scoring helps you decide if it’s time to adjust feeding, check FECs for worms, or investigate a possible health issue more closely. It's a simple check that can make a big difference in maintaining herd health.



How often to Body Condition Score Alpacas?

We recommend Body Condition Scoring your alpacas once a month. Changes in condition can take a few weeks to show, so monthly checks strike a good balance - they’re frequent enough to catch potential problems early, but not so often that you’re unlikely to notice meaningful change. Regular scoring helps you stay on top of your herd’s health and spot subtle shifts before they become serious issues.



Where to Check

To get an accurate body condition score for your alpaca, you’ll want to feel in several places:


  • Spine – Is it bony and sharp, nicely padded, or difficult to feel?

  • Ribs – Can you feel them easily, or with light pressure, or struggling to palpate them?

  • Chest - Does it feel bony, firm or wobbly?

  • Under the tail – Is the area either side of the anus concave, slightly dished, or wobbling?


It’s not a visual check—you’ll need to get hands on. And remember, things like pregnancy or age can affect condition. Crias and pregnant females might naturally carry more weight and score a little higher than others.






Should You Weigh Too?

If you can, weighing your alpacas alongside body condition scoring gives a fuller picture. Veterinary weigh scales are ideal, but not everyone has them. If you’ve only got a few alpacas and a trailer, try this:


  1. Weigh the empty trailer at a local weighbridge.

  2. Then weigh it again with your alpacas inside.

  3. Subtract the trailer weight and divide the rest between your alpacas for a rough guide.


But here’s the golden rule: don’t judge body condition by weight alone. Two alpacas might weigh the same, but one could be lean with a bigger frame and the other chunky with a smaller build. BCS tells you what the scales can’t.



Make It a Habit

BCS regularly and record the scores so you can track trends over time and spot early signs if someone’s dropping weight or creeping up the scale. It’s particularly handy through winter and leading up to shearing time, when fleece can make it very difficult if not impossible to see what’s going on underneath.



A Quick Summary:

  • BCS regularly (monthly is ideal)

  • Check spine, ribs, chest, and under the tail

  • Record your findings for each alpaca

  • Weigh if you can, but don’t rely on weight alone

  • Adjust feed and care accordingly




Disclaimer: Fostings Alpacas are not a veterinarian body. Always consult your vet when creating a health plan for your herd and before administering medication.




Learn how to look after alpacas


This 110 page E-Guide is packed full of information for new and prospective alpaca keepers, covering Alpaca 101, Essential Requirements, Diet & Pasture Management, Costs to Purchase & Keep Alpacas, Routine Husbandry and Common Disease & Parasites in Alpacas. The E-Guide is downloadable upon purchase so you can dive straight in! For the full contents list and to get your copy, just click the image below!


 
 
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