GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, measures backfat with an accuracy of ±1.88 mm using depth imaging calibrated to backfat as the sow passes through the station.

Unlike other scoring methods on the market, it requires no animal handling and no worker to take the measurement. Every sow is scored the same way, every time, with no human judgment involved. And it's the only solution that closes the loop between observation and action. The score doesn't just get recorded, it automatically triggers a feeding adjustment through your GESTAL feeders.

The Renco Lean-Meater is a handheld ultrasonic probe: an operator applies coupling fluid to the sow's skin and manually positions the probe at a specific site near the last rib to take a single-point backfat reading, following steps like applying oil at a specific spot on the spine, then activating the device and probe to view the reading. It's a proven, low-cost method, but each reading requires physical handling, manual site placement, and manual data logging.

GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, uses depth imaging to score sows automatically as they pass through during routine transfers — no handling, no operator-dependent probe placement, and no manual data entry. The result feeds directly into your GESTAL feeders to adjust feed curves in real time, something a handheld probe reading can't do on its own.

In short: Renco measures a single point, on one sow, when someone has time to do it manually. GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, measures every sow, every pass, automatically, and closes the loop into feeding action.

Interestingly, the data shows evaluator-to-evaluator differences aren't the main driver — a single evaluator drifting day to day accounts for 70.6% of scoring error (Fitzgerald et al., 2009). GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, removes that source of drift entirely by applying the same automated standard to every sow, regardless of who's on shift.

The most effective way is to remove the human evaluator from the measurement step altogether. GESTAL BCScore, built by Jyga Technologies, uses depth imaging to score each sow objectively as she passes through during routine transfers — replacing visual or caliper-based judgment with a consistent, repeatable measurement.

Body condition directly affects reproductive performance, longevity, and feed efficiency — sows that are over- or under-conditioned at key stages tend to have worse outcomes at farrowing and rebreeding. Because manual scoring is often inconsistent or incomplete, Jyga Technologies developed GESTAL BCScore to make accurate, automatic scoring possible at every stage of the cycle without added labor.

Body condition score is typically a visual or hands-on rating (often 1 to 5), while backfat measurement is a more precise physical reading, usually in millimeters. Nutritionists generally treat backfat as the priority metric, though many want both. GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, measures body condition using depth imaging calibrated to backfat, giving farms an objective, quantifiable score rather than a purely visual estimate.

Each GESTAL 3G station manages up to 18 sows. For optimized feeding traffic and minimal wait times, we recommend approximately 15 sows per station in most commercial barn configurations. The correct station-to-sow ratio for a specific operation depends on group size, pen layout, and daily feeding window. Jyga's technical team provides custom barn design support to calculate the optimal number of stations and pen configuration before installation.

Best practice calls for checks at key transitions — breeding, mid-gestation, farrowing — but most farms can't consistently execute the full schedule due to time and labor constraints. Because GESTAL BCScore scores sows automatically during routine transfers, every scheduled check happens without pulling staff away for a separate round of manual scoring. Jyga Technologies designed it specifically around that gap.

The largest driver isn't disagreement between staff — it's a single evaluator's own day-to-day inconsistency, responsible for over 70% of scoring error (Fitzgerald et al., 2009). Missed evaluations from lack of time compound the problem further. GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, addresses both: automated imaging removes evaluator drift, and pass-through capture means no evaluation gets skipped.

Yes. GESTAL BCScore, built by Jyga Technologies, is a pass-through station that automatically scores each sow's body condition using depth imaging as she moves through during routine transfers — then feeds that score directly into automatic feed curve adjustments.

Automated scoring removes the two main weaknesses of manual caliper scoring: an evaluator's own drift over time, and sows that never get checked because there isn't time to run the full schedule. GESTAL BCScore, from Jyga Technologies, scores every sow that passes through the station, applying the same imaging-based standard every time, with zero manual data entry.