316 Routine Claw Trimming Data Provides Insight into the Occurrence of Claw Lesions Holstein Herds in the Central Region of South Africa

Abstract

Abstract Claw lesions in dairy cows are a primary contributor to lameness, posing severe welfare concerns due to the distress and discomfort experienced by affected cows. Claw disorders have a significant negative impact on herd efficiency, milk yield, reproductive performance, and involuntary culling. Despite increased awareness of the detrimental effects of lameness, its incidence has continued to rise. Reducing the occurrence of lameness remains a major challenge, especially in defining and recording of claw traits. In South Africa (SA), claw data is limited to private hoof trimmers with paper-based recording. The objective of this research was to examine the occurrence and recording of claw lesions in Holstein cattle from the central region of South Africa. Claw-trimming data from five intensively managed dairy farms (average herd size: 1,073) using both dirt lot (DL) and free-stall (FS) housing systems were analyzed over a six-year period (2014 to 2019). The Claw Lesion Identification in Dairy Cattle brochure, co-developed by Zinpro Corporation and the International Lameness Committee, was used as the reference for lesion identification by a local hoof trimmer. Digital dermatitis (D) showed the greatest prevalence (64.02% of all recorded lesions), followed by sole ulcers (U; 8.59%), white line disease (W; 6.27%), and sole hemorrhage (H; 4.28%), with most lesions occurring in the rear feet. A chi-square test of independence between lesion and housing was rejected (P < 0.0001). Correspondence analysis (CA) was then used to explore these dependencies. The first dimension of the graphical display explained 90.7% of the variation in the data. The CA indicated that the prevalence of D and F are strongly associated, and closely associated with U. The prevalence of these lesions is also associated with housing systems DL and FS. The CA also confirmed a close association between W and H, and the prevalence of these lesions in housing system DL+FS. Improving the precision of claw lesion identification and recording, especially with regard to lesions that tend to occur together, can furnish essential data to identify the most prevalent lesions in a population. This will enhance our comprehension of the causal factors behind these significant lesions and offer producers practical recommendations to use these data for prevention, early detection, management, and improvement of lameness.