Hock Lesions in Dairy Cows in Cubicle Housing Systems in Germany: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Hock lesions in dairy cows are an important indicator of animal welfare, in particular housing conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of hock lesions in dairy cows kept in cubicle housing systems in three structurally different regions of Germany and to derive recommendations from risk factor analyses. Lactating and dry cows kept in cubicle housing systems were assessed for hock lesions (north: 206 farms with 20,792 cows; south: 156 farms with 8050 cows; east: 192 farms with 37,839 cows). Risk factor analyses were conducted using multi-factorial logistic regression models. The median prevalence of hock lesions (hairless patches, wounds, and/or swelling) at farm level was 79.8% (SD: 25.0; north), 66.2% (SD: 31.0; south), and 78.5% (SD: 26.3; east). The mean prevalence of severe hock lesions (wounds and/or swelling) at farm level was 12.5% (SD: 11.3; north), 8.0% (SD: 13.5; south), and 14.4% (SD: 17.9; east). Cows kept in pens with rubber mats or mattresses (with or without a small amount of litter) had a particularly higher chance of hock lesions compared with cows kept in pens with deep-bedded cubicles (OR: north: 3.1 [2.3-4.2]; south: 8.7 [5.9-13.0], east: 2.0 [1.7-2.4]). The study showed that hock lesions are a widespread problem on German dairy farms with cubicle housing systems. Deep-bedded cubicles are likely to reduce hock lesions and increase cows' comfort.

Gait Analysis in Walking and Trotting Dairy Cows on Different Flooring Types with Novel Mobile Pressure Sensors and Inertial Sensors

Mechanical overburdening is a major risk factor that provokes non-infectious claw diseases. Moreover, lameness-causing lesions often remain undetected and untreated. Therefore, prevention of claw tissue overburdening is of interest, especially by analyzing harmful effects within dairy cows’ housing environment. However, objective “on-cow” methods for bovine gait analysis are underdeveloped. The purpose of the study was to apply an innovative mobile pressure sensor system attached at the claws to perform pedobarometric gait analysis. A further goal was the supplementation with accelerative data, generated simultaneously by use of two inertial measurement units (IMUs), attached at metatarsal level. IMU data were analyzed with an automatic step detection algorithm. Gait analysis was performed in ten dairy cows, walking and trotting on concrete flooring and rubber mats. In addition to the basic applicability of the sensor systems and with the aid of the automatic step detection algorithm for gait analysis in cows, we were able to determine the impact of the gait and flooring type on kinematic and kinetic parameters. For pressure sensor output, concrete was associated with significantly (p < 0.001) higher maximum and average pressure values and a significantly smaller contact area, compared to rubber mats. In contrast to walking, trotting led to a significantly higher force, especially under the medial claw. Further, IMU-derived parameters were significantly influenced by the gait. The described sensor systems are useful tools for detailed gait analysis in dairy cows. They allow the investigation of factors which may affect claw health negatively.

Are Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) Motivated to Avoid Excreta-Soiled Substrate?

Simple Summary

Commercial turkeys are raised in large barns at stocking densities that cause excreta (or feces) to quickly accrue in the turkeys’ environment. Even though commercial turkeys spend most, if not all, of their time in contact with their excreta, we do not know how turkeys perceive this soiled environment. Therefore, our study used six pens of four turkeys, dividing each pen with a barrier that contained two one-way push-doors. This created two compartments: a “home” compartment containing soiled wood shavings, and a “treatment” (T) compartment containing fresh pine and spruce wood shavings (FP), soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (SP), ammonia reductant-treated soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (TSP), no substrate (NS), or a feed treatment. To establish the turkeys’ motivation to access these resources, we weighed the door to T with 0%, 20% or 40% of the turkeys’ body weight. The number of turkeys that pushed the maximum door weight was used as an indicator for their motivation. Additionally, time spent in T and the odds of visiting T were examined to determine how the turkeys responded to increasing challenge. We found that the turkeys preferred feed over all other resources and showed equal motivation for all floor substrate treatments.

Abstract

The soiling of bedding on modern turkey farms combined with turkeys’ reduced ability and opportunity to perch and roost at elevation, forces them to spend most, if not all, of their time in contact with their excreta. To determine turkeys’ perspective on these conditions and the value they place on unsoiled bedding vs. soiled litter (collectively, substrates), we used twenty-four eleven-week-old turkey hens divided into six two-compartment pens. In the “home” compartment (H), we placed soiled wood shavings, while the “treatment” compartment (T) contained no substrate (NS), fresh pine and spruce wood shavings (FP), soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (SP), ammonia reductant-treated soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (TSP), or a feed treatment. One-way push-doors separated the two compartments. The door leading to T weighed an additional 0%, 20% or 40% of the turkeys’ body weight while the door to H remained unweighted. All birds were exposed to each resource and door weight combination in a systematic order. We measured the turkeys’ motivation based on the number of birds that pushed the maximum weight to access each resource, the amount of time spent in T, and the number of visits to T. Our findings show that turkeys worked harder to access feed compared to all the floor substrate treatments. Additionally, they were equally motivated to access all the substrate treatments.