Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hoof lesions in Dairy Cows in Peninsular Malaysia

Dairy farmers' knowledge, awareness and practices regarding bovine lameness in Malaysian dairy farms

Given the data paucity on dairy farmers' perspectives regarding bovine lameness and hoof diseases, particularly in South East Asian countries, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices toward lameness and hoof health among dairy cattle farmers in Malaysia. An online-based and face-to-face survey was conducted among 114 dairy farmers from four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis and an independent sample t-test. Overall, farmers demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and attitude regarding lameness and its impact on dairy cattle welfare and production. Lameness was ranked the second most important health issue in dairy farms after mastitis. Notably, 90% reported the presence of at least one lame cow on their farms, and 55% stated lameness as the reason for culling their cows. While sole ulcer was the hoof lesion mostly identified by farmers, 75% of them underestimated lameness prevalence on their farms and rarely implemented management strategies such as preventive hoof trimming and footbath. Farmers' educational qualification influenced their understanding of the impact of lameness on dairy cattle production. Despite reflecting satisfactory knowledge and attitude towards lameness in dairy cows, farmers in this study need to improve their current management practices to address lameness problem in their herds. Educating farmers on the importance of early detection and prompt treatment, and preventive measures are crucial for lameness control and improving hoof health in these dairy farms.

Retrospective study of lameness in beef cattle in northeastern Sardinia, Italy

Lameness is one of the most prevalent diseases affecting dairy and beef cattle, resulting in decreased animal performance, decreased animal welfare, and substantial economic loss. In extensive beef cattle farming, the risk factors for this multifactorial disease are largely unexplored. This study aims to conduct a preliminary epidemiological survey of risk factors in beef cattle in extensive breeding, evaluate the farmer's perception of lameness, and determine the recurrence frequency of the pathologies under investigation in treated animals. The study was conducted in Sardinia, Italy. The population of the study consisted of 14379 cattle from 230 farms. An ad hoc questionnaire was developed to collect all the necessary data. A strong association was found between breed and the occurrence and recurrence of lameness (p < 0.0001). In addition, the Country of origin of both bulls and cows was found to be correlated with the incidence of lameness (p < 0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). Farmers who indicated on the questionnaire that lameness was not important on their farm had more animals with recurrences (p < 0.0001) than other farmers. The veterinarian's treatment choice differed significantly by farmer concern (p = 0.007) and was associated with less disease recurrence (p < 0.0001), resulting in greater farmer satisfaction (p < 0.007). Pure cow breed, French bull origin, and farmer's age were detected as significant predictors of lameness issues, with pure cow breed and French bull origin having the strongest associations (p = 0.009). Even though the results of this study are preliminary, they indicate that breed selection is crucial in extensive beef farms to reduce lameness prevalence. In addition, it would be reasonable to train breeders to prevent and diagnose lameness early in order to collaborate with veterinarians to prevent recurrence.

Effect of claw blocks on the healing duration and lesion severities of claw lesions in lame cows in Western Thailand

Background and Aim: Lameness is a major complication in dairy cattle affecting health and milk production. Several factors are found to contribute to this condition and specific treatments are required, including the process of claw trimming. The elevation of the claw, such as with the application of a claw block, was reported to be beneficial in the more severe cases. This study aimed to determine the efficiency of a claw block on claw lesions of lame cows in dairy farms in Western Thailand. Materials and Methods: Locomotion scores of 376 dairy cows were determined by a veterinarian using a scale of 1–5 (1 = normal; 5 = severely lame) at the time of the visit. Cows with a score of 3 or greater were defined as clinically lame. In total, 134 clinically lame cows from 11 dairy farms in the Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces were included in the analysis. Claw lesions included a white line abscess, bruised sole, sole ulcer, sole abscess, white line separate, and double soles. Wooden or rubber claw blocks were applied to the unaffected claw of the same hoof as the injured claw of 116 cows, which were classified as the treatment cases, and 18 cows were left untreated and classified as the control cases. Each cow was checked on every week of the healing process for 2 months unless the cow was culled earlier. Survival analysis was based on the Kaplan–Meier estimator and Cox Proportional Hazard regression. Results: The median healing time for lame cows with and without claw blocks was 21 and 36 days, respectively. After adjusting for the lesion severity and type, the lame cows with and without a claw block had hazard ratios of 2.16 and 3.08, respectively. The healing times between the four lesion types in cows with a claw block were not significantly different. The healing time was longer in lame cows, with a severity score of 4. Conclusion: The results from this study reveal that the treatment of lame cows with claw blocks promoted the healing capacity of claw lesions after claw trimming.

Treatment protocols for claw horn lesions and their impact on lameness recovery, pain sensitivity, and lesion severity in moderately lame primiparous dairy cows

This study aims to investigate the effects of routine treatment protocols for claw horn disruptive lesions (CHDL) on lameness recovery rates, pain sensitivity, and lesion severity in moderately lame primiparous cows. A cohort of first parity cows was recruited from a single commercial dairy herd and randomly allocated to five treatments, comprising four lame groups (LTNB, LTN, LTB, and LT) and a single group non-lame group. Eligibility criteria for the lame cows included a first lameness score (score 3/5), presence of CHDL on a single foot, good body condition score of 3.0 to 3.5, and no history of previous lameness. LTNB received a combination of therapeutic trim, administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID; Ketoprofen) for 3 days, and hoof block on the healthy claw. Both LTN and LTB received the same treatment as LTNB without hoof block and NSAID, respectively. LT received only a therapeutic trim, whereas non-LT (negative control) received either a therapeutic or preventive trim. Pain sensitivity was assessed using the limb withdrawal reflex while lesion severity was recorded using the International Committee Animal Records (ICAR) Atlas guide. The enrolled cows were observed at weekly intervals, and the primary outcomes were assessed 28 days after treatment. The number (%) of recovered cows was 15 of 20 (75%), 13 of 21 (61.9%), 6 of 14 (42.9%), and 6 of 15 (40%) for LTNB, LTN, LTB, and LT, respectively. LTNB had significantly higher odds of successful treatment (OR = 4.5; 95% 1.1-19.1) compared to LT. Pain sensitivity based on limb withdrawal reflex was absent in a significantly higher number of cows (15/20; 75.0%) in LTNB compared to LTB and LT. LTB had a significantly lower lesion severity score in comparison to LTN. Overall, cows with limb withdrawal at day 28 after treatment were less likely (OR = 0.06; 95% CI 0.01-0.24) to develop a non-lame score. In conclusion, the treatment with therapeutic trim, hoof block, and NSAID led to better recovery and reduced pain sensitivity in moderately lame primiparous cows with good BCS compared to those that received only therapeutic trim. Further research on the changes within the hoof capsule following various treatment protocols is needed to elucidate the clinical benefits observed in this study.

Hoof lesions in partly housed pasture-based dairy cows

Lameness is a symptom of a painful disorder affecting the limbs, which impacts dairy cow welfare and productivity. Lameness is primarily caused by hoof lesions. The prevalence of different lesion types can differ depending on environmental conditions and farm management practices. The aims of this observational study were to establish the cow-level and herd-level lesion prevalence during both housing and grazing periods in a partly housed, pasture-based system, establish the prevalence of lesions always associated with pain ("alarm" lesion), identify the lesions associated with a higher lameness score, determine relationships between lesions, and identify risk factors for digital dermatitis. On 98 farms during the grazing period and on 74 of the same farms during the housing period, every cow was lameness scored (0-3 lameness scoring scale), and the hind hooves of lame cows (score 2 and 3) were examined (maximum 20 cows per visit) and the prevalence of each lesion type recorded. To gather data on potential predictors for the risk factor analysis, a questionnaire with the farmer was conducted on lameness management practices and infrastructure measurements were taken at each visit. Cow-level data were also collected (e.g., parity, breed, milk yield, and so on). Noninfectious lesions were found to be more prevalent than infectious lesions in this system type. The most prevalent lesion types during both grazing and housing periods were white line separation, sole hemorrhages and overgrown claws; all remaining lesions had a cow-level prevalence of less than 15%. The cow-level prevalence of alarm lesions was 19% during the grazing period and 25% during the housing period; the most prevalent alarm lesion was sole ulcers during both periods. We found significantly more foreign bodies within the hoof sole (grazing = 14%, housing = 7%) and overgrown claws (grazing = 71%, housing = 55%) during the grazing period compared with the housing period. Cows with foul of the foot, sole ulcer, white line abscess, toe necrosis or an amputated claw had higher odds of being more severely lame, compared with mildly lame. The strongest correlation between lesions were between toe necrosis and digital dermatitis (r = 0.40), overgrown claws and corkscrew claws (r = 0.33), and interdigital hyperplasia and digital dermatitis (r = 0.31) at herd level. At the cow level, the strongest correlation was between overgrown claws and corkscrew claws (r = 0.27), and digital dermatitis and heel erosion (r = 0.22). The farmers' perception of the presence of digital dermatitis (and lameness) was significantly correlated with the actual presence of digital dermatitis recorded. Additional risk factors for the presence of digital dermatitis were cow track and verge width near the collecting yard, and stone presence on the cow tracks. Results from this study help further our understanding of the causes of lameness in partly housed, pasture-based dairy cows, and can be used to guide prevention and treatment protocols.

Review of guidelines for functional claw trimming and therapeutic approach to claw horn lesions in cattle

Lameness is one of the most pressing health and welfare problems in cattle, especially on dairy farms. The most common cause of lameness is claw pathology, often due to lack of appropriate functional claw trimming. Functional claw trimming restores the physiological shape of the claws and distributes weight properly between the claws and over the claw weight-bearing surface. It also allows closer examination of the claws for early signs of pathology. The methods of functional claw trimming described in the previous century are still applicable today, considering some recent findings on the subject. It is essential not to over-trim the claws and to maintain strict hygiene of the trimming tools. Claw horn pathology in the early stages is usually treated effectively by therapeutic claw trimming alone. The stoic nature of cattle and their natural tendency to hide pain often result in delayed treatment of claw diseases, leading to more advanced stages of disease/pathology associated with higher-grade lameness. This situation often leads to the development of neuropathic pain and hyperalgesia requiring multimodal treatment. Because claw horn diseases are multifactorial, veterinarians and others involved in animal management must be familiar with the preventive measures available to improve claw health in a cattle herd. Further research to improve claw horn quality and effectively control/prevent claw infections without polluting the environment or negatively affecting worker and animal health is still needed. This article reviews the latest knowledge on functional claw trimming and treatment of the most common claw horn diseases in cattle.

A modified functional hoof trimming technique reduces the risk of lameness and hoof lesion prevalence in housed dairy cattle

The objective of this study was to compare the impact of the functional hoof trimming (HT) method to an adaptation that results in increased modelling of the weight bearing claw on time to lameness and lesion prevalence in housed dairy cows. A total of 418 non-lame cows at early and late lactation were enrolled in the study and randomly allocated into 3 groups: functional HT (TRIM1), adaptation method (TRIM2), and an untrimmed group (CON). Locomotion scores (LS; 5-point scale) and animal-based welfare measures were assessed monthly from enrolment until the following 270 days in milk. Cows were considered lame when 2 consecutive LS = 3, or any assessment with a score of 4 or 5. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the difference in time to lameness between the groups. Multivariable CC Cox regression models were fitted to assess associations between covariates and time to lameness event, while associated factors for lesion prevalence were estimated using logistic regression models. The incidence rate of lameness was 29.3 cases/100/month, with corresponding rates of 28.7, 15.8 and 42.8 cases/100/months, in TRIM1, TRIM2 and CON, respectively. Time to first lameness event was higher in TRIM2 (mean ± S.E; 8.26 ± 0.16, P = 0.03) than CON (7.32 ± 0.2) and tended to be higher than TRIM1 (7.83 ± 0.19; P = 0.07). The risk of new lameness event was higher in cows with low BCS (≤2.5) (Hazard ratio; HR = 1.5; 95 % CI 1.1-2.1), while trimming all feet was a protective factor (HR = 0.58; 95 % CI 0.38-0.90). The prevalence of hoof lesions in the study population was 36.3 %, with the highest prevalence in CON (45.6 %), followed by TRIM1 (34.6 %) and TRIM2 (28.1 %). Seventy-eight per cent of hoof lesions were non-infectious and the majority of cows with hoof lesion in TRIM1 (72.3 %), CON (74.6 %) and TRIM2 (55.6 %) were lame. The odds of having a non-infectious hoof lesion were higher in CON (OR = 2.1; 95 % CI 1.2-3.7) compared to TRIM2, and in cows with hock injury (OR = 3.1; 95 % 1.1-9.7) relative to healthy hock, and tended to be higher in cows with low BCS (P = 0.09) relative to those with moderate BCS. Our results suggest that the adaptation to the functional method reduced the risk of lameness during lactation, however, proper management of under-conditioned cows is equally important.

Preventive Hoof Trimming and Animal-Based Welfare Measures Influence the Time to First Lameness Event and Hoof Lesion Prevalence in Dairy Cows

Background: The objectives of this study were to, (1) investigate the impact of the Dutch five-step hoof trimming (HT) technique on time to lameness and hoof lesion prevalence in grazing (GR) and non-grazing (NGR) dairy cows, and (2) determine the association between potential benefits of HT and animal-based welfare measures during lactation. A total of 520 non-lame cows without hoof lesions from 5 dairy farms (GR = 2, NGR = 3) were enrolled at early (within 30 days in milk; DIM) and late lactation (above 200 DIM), and randomly allocated to either trimmed (HGR or HNGR) or control groups (CON-GR and CON-NGR). Locomotion scores, body condition, hock condition, leg hygiene, and hoof health were assessed at monthly intervals until the following 270 days in milk. The data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, multivariable Cox, and logistic regression models. The overall incidence rate of lameness was 36.2 cases/100 cows/month, with corresponding rates of 27.4, 31.9, 48.4, and 45.8 cases/100 cows/month in HGR, HNGR, CON-GR, and CON-NGR, respectively. Time to first lameness event was significantly higher in HGR (mean ± S.E; 8.12 ± 0.15) compared to CON-GR (7.36 ± 0.26), and in HNGR (8.05 ± 0.16) compared to CON-NGR (7.39 ± 0.23). The prevalence of hoof lesions in the enrolled cows was 36.9%, with a higher occurrence in CON-GR (48.8%) than HGR (23.2%), and in CON-NGR (52.6%) compared to HNGR (32.2%). The majority of hoof lesions were non-infectious in grazing (HGR vs. CON-GR; 21.3 vs. 33.3%) and non-grazing herds (HNGR vs. CON-NGR; 25.0 vs. 40.4%). The risk of lameness was higher in underconditioned cows (Hazard ratio; HR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-7.4), presence of hoof lesion (HR = 33.1, 95% CI 17.6-62.5), and there was variation between farms. Aside HT, lower parity (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8), normal hock condition (OR = 0.06; 95% 0.01-0.29), and absence of overgrown hoof (OR = 0.4; 95% 0.2-0.7) were protective against non-infectious hoof lesions. Functional HT is beneficial as a lameness preventive strategy during lactation; however, ensuring older cows are in good body condition and free from hock injuries are equally important.

Understanding the Awareness, Knowledge, and Opinion of Dairy Cattle Welfare among Dairy Farmers in Keningau, Sabah

This study aimed to assess the knowledge and opinions about DCW among dairy cattle farmers in Keningau, Sabah. A questionnaire was developed, validated, and administered by hand to 30 farmers. The data collected include farmers' and farm demographics, and opinions regarding the criteria and indicators of DCW. Only 17 respondents (57%) had heard of "dairy cattle welfare" before this study. Nine farmers (30.0%) had poor knowledge about DCW criteria, whereas 13 (43.7%) and 8 (26.7%) farmers had satisfactory and good knowledge, respectively. Farmers with higher education, larger herd size, high production level, and exotic cattle breeds showed a better understanding. Farmers understood most of the indicators; however, opinions regarding cattle behavior during milking, their physical appearance and their lying down behaviour need to be improved. Nevertheless, 28 respondents ranked their animals' welfare as either good or satisfactory, which further reflects a poor implementation of DCW measures. The main factors suggested by farmers to influence DCW in their herds were facilities, worker issues, management practices, and animal well-being. In conclusion, guidance from veterinarians and animal welfare specialists may be needed to improve the farmers' understanding and practices of DCW.