Condition Score

1. Poor:  Animal extremely emaciated; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, and hooks and pins projecting prominently; bone structure of withers, shoulders, and neck easily noticeable; no fatty tissue can be felt.

2. Very Thin:  Animal emaciated; slight fat covering over base of spinous processes; transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded; spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, and hooks and pins prominent; withers, shoulders, and neck structures faintly discernible.

3. Thin:  Fat build-up about halfway on spinous processes, transverse processes cannot be felt; slight fat cover over ribs; spinous processes and ribs easily discernible; tailhead prominent, but individual vertrbrae cannot be visually identified; hook bones appear rounded, but easily discernible; pin bones no distinguishable; withers, shoulders, and neck accentuated.

4. Moderately Thin:  Negative crease along back; faint outline of ribs discernible; tailhead prominence depends on conformation, fat can be felt around it; hook bones not discernible; pin bones not distinguishable; withers, shoulders, and neck not obviously thin.

5. Moderate:  Back level; ribs cannot be visually distinguished but can be easily felt; fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy; withers apppear rounded over spinous processes; shoulders and neck blend smoothly into body.

6. Moderate to fleshy:  May have slight crease down back; fat over ribs feels spongy; fat around tailhead beginning to feel soft; fat beginning to be deposited along the sides of the withers, behind shoulders, and along sides of neck

7. Fleshy:  May have crease down back; individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable filling between ribs with fat; fat around tailhead is soft; fat deposited along withers; behind shoulders, and along neck.

8. Fat:  Crease down back; difficult to feel ribs; fat around tailhead very soft; area along withers filled with fat; area behind shoulder filled in flush; noticeable thickening of neck; fat deposited along inner buttocks.

9. Extremely Fat:  Obvious crease down back; patch fat appearing over ribs; bulging fat around tailhead, along withers, behind shoulders, and along neck, fat along inner buttocks may rub together; flank filled in flush.