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Bradtmueller A, Nejati A, Shepley E, Vasseur E. Applications of Technology to Record Locomotion Measurements in Dairy Cows: A Systematic Review. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061121. [PMID: 36978660 PMCID: PMC10044283 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Lameness within the dairy industry is a concern because of its associated costs and welfare implications. Visual locomotion scoring has been commonly used for assessing cows' locomotion quality, but it can have low reliability and is relatively subjective compared to automated methods of assessing locomotion. Kinematic, kinetic, and accelerometric technologies can provide a greater number of more detailed outcome measurements than visual scoring. The objective of this systematic review was to determine outcome measurements, and the relationships between them, that have been recorded using kinematic, kinetic, and accelerometric technologies, as well as other approaches to evaluating cow locomotion. Following PRISMA guidelines, two databases were searched for studies published from January 2000 to June 2022. Thirty-seven articles were retained after undergoing a screening process involving a title and abstract evaluation, followed by a full-text assessment. Locomotion measurements recorded using these technologies often overlapped, but inconsistencies in the types of technology, the arrangement of equipment, the terminology, and the measurement-recording approaches made it difficult to compare locomotion measurements across studies. Additional research would contribute to a better understanding of how factors regarding the health, environment, and management of dairy cows affect aspects of locomotion, as recorded through the detailed, objective outcome measurements provided by these technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bradtmueller
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Amir Nejati
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Elise Shepley
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Elsa Vasseur
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
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Oehm AW, Merle R, Tautenhahn A, Jensen KC, Mueller KE, Feist M, Zablotski Y. Identifying cow - level factors and farm characteristics associated with locomotion scores in dairy cows using cumulative link mixed models. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263294. [PMID: 35089972 PMCID: PMC8797239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lameness is a tremendous problem in intensively managed dairy herds all over the world. It has been associated with considerable adverse effects on animal welfare and economic viability. The majority of studies have evaluated factors associated with gait disturbance by categorising cows into lame and non-lame. This procedure yet entails a loss of information and precision. In the present study, we extend the binomial response to five categories acknowledging the ordered categorical nature of locomotion assessments, which conserves a higher level of information. A cumulative link mixed modelling approach was used to identify factors associated with increasing locomotion scores. The analysis revealed that a low body condition, elevated somatic cell count, more severe hock lesions, increasing parity, absence of pasture access, and poor udder cleanliness were relevant variables associated with higher locomotion scores. Furthermore, distinct differences in the locomotion scores assigned were identified in regard to breed, observer, and season. Using locomotion scores rather than a dichotomised response variable uncovers more refined relationships between gait disturbances and associated factors. This will help to understand the intricate nature of gait disturbances in dairy cows more deeply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas W. Oehm
- Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Roswitha Merle
- Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annegret Tautenhahn
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - K. Charlotte Jensen
- Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin-Elisabeth Mueller
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Melanie Feist
- Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Yury Zablotski
- Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
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Prado VCM, Bassoto Filho J, Yasuoka MM, Ollhoff RD, Gallo SB, Birgel Junior EH. Effect of trimming of overgrown and deformed claws in goats on morphometric measurements. Vet Res Commun 2022; 46:947-954. [DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-09890-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Lüchinger I, Pieper L, Nuss K. Functional foot trimming to balance load distribution between the paired forelimb claws in dairy cows: An experimental study. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:4803-4812. [PMID: 33516555 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In standing dairy cows, the medial claws carry most of the load of the forelimb. The goal of our experimental study was to investigate how even load distribution can be achieved between the paired forelimb claws through foot trimming. We measured vertical ground reaction forces, mean and maximum pressures, and contact areas under the sound forelimb claws of 28 nonlame dairy cows using a force plate and a pressure plate. The experimental setup consisted of 3 measurement situations: (1) baseline measurements made after routine foot trimming, (2) measurements made with plywood plates, 3 mm in thickness, attached to both lateral claws, and (3) measurements made with the same plywood plates attached to both medial claws. After routine foot trimming, the medial claws carried 70.1% of the entire forelimb load with its palmar zone bearing 54.0% of the entire forelimb load. Even load distribution between the paired claws was achieved when the plywood plates were attached to the lateral claws, whereas plates on the medial claws increased the load discrepancy. The pressures on the medial claws were reduced by attaching the plywood plates to the lateral claws but remained uneven between paired claws and claw zones. The palmar zone of the medial claws was the region subjected to the greatest force and highest pressures in all situations. A drawback of the study was that the plywood plates increased the contact area and therefore reduced the mean and maximum pressures in the claws they were attached to. We concluded that equal load distribution between the forelimb claws was achieved in our setting when the lateral claws were left 3 mm higher than the medial claws.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Lüchinger
- Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Pieper
- Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karl Nuss
- Department of Farm Animals, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Li H, Wang X, Wu Y, Zhang D, Xu H, Xu H, Xing X, Qi Z. Relationships among bedding materials, bedding bacterial composition and lameness in dairy cows. Anim Biosci 2020; 34:1559-1568. [PMID: 33171032 PMCID: PMC8495337 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.20.0565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Bedding materials directly contact hooves of dairy cows and they may serve as environmental sources of lameness-associated pathogen. However, the specific composition of bacteria hidden in bedding materials is still not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the effect bedding material and its bacterial composition has on lameness of Holstein heifers. Methods Forty-eight Holstein heifers with similar body weights were randomly assigned into three groups including sand bedding (SB), concrete floor (CF), and compost bedding (CB). Hock injuries severity and gait performance of dairy cows were scored individually once a week. Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment and bedding material samples were collected once a week for Illumina sequencing. Results The CF increased visible hock injuries severity and serum biomarkers of joint damage in comparison to SB and CB groups. Besides, Illumina sequencing and analysis showed that the bacterial community of CB samples had higher similarity to that of SB samples than CF samples. Bacteria in three bedding materials were dominated by gastrointestinal bacteria and organic matter-degrading bacteria, such as Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and norank JG30-KF-cM45. Lameness-associated Spirochaetaceae and Treponeme were only detected in SB and CB samples with a very low relative abundance (0% to 0.08%). Conclusion The bacterial communities differed among bedding materials. However, the treponemes pathogens involved in the pathogenesis of lameness may not be a part of microbiota in bedding materials of dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Li
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiangming Wang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dingran Zhang
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hongyang Xu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hongrun Xu
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaoguang Xing
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhili Qi
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Oehme B, Grund S, Munzel J, Mülling CKW. Kinetic effect of different ground conditions on the sole of the claws of standing and walking dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:10119-10128. [PMID: 31495627 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-16183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
For the first time, we analyzed the direct kinetic effects of concrete and rubber flooring on the soles of live dairy cows' claws while standing and walking. Ten adult dairy cows were equipped with foil-based pressure sensors (HoofSystem, Tekscan Inc., Boston, MA) under their left hind leg using a leather claw shoe. These sensors captured parameters of pressure distribution and vertical ground reaction forces while the cows walked on the 2 tested flooring types. The mean pressure was 15.1 to 21.1% lower on rubber flooring compared with concrete; mean pressure values (± standard deviation) were 36.32 ± 7.77 N/cm2 for static measures and 57.33 ± 11.77 N/cm2 for dynamic measures. We observed an even more obvious relief on rubber flooring in the maximum pressure loads, which were 30.1 to 32.7% lower on rubber flooring compared with concrete; mean pressure values (± standard deviation) were 98.79 ± 14.49 N/cm2 for static measures and 150.45 ± 20.87 N/cm2 for dynamic measures). The force-time curves of the dynamic measures essentially showed biphasic curve progression, with local peaks at 29 and 79% of the stance phase. However, we found considerable differences in curve progression between individuals and between the lateral and medial claws, which may be verified in further investigations with more animals. The study showed a noticeable reduction in mechanical load during standing and walking on rubber flooring compared with concrete.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Oehme
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Germany 04103
| | - S Grund
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Germany 04103
| | - J Munzel
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Germany 04103
| | - C K W Mülling
- Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Germany 04103.
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