Abstract
Lameness in cattle has significant consequences for welfare, health and productivity. More research is now being done on lameness and this article, the first in a two-part series, provides an...
Highlights
Cattle lameness research has lagged behind that in similar fields such as fertility and mastitis
In the case of treatment incidence records, most farmers only tend to treat severely lame (Score 3) cows and that many weeks can elapse between when animals are first identified as lame by external observers and when they are treated
Assessment of gait provides a subjective assessment of impaired locomotion which for chronic and severe lesions, such as sole ulcers, has been shown to correctly classify presence or absence of lesions in over 90% of animals
Summary
Cattle lameness research has lagged behind that in similar fields such as fertility and mastitis. In the case of treatment incidence records, most farmers only tend to treat severely lame (Score 3) cows and that many weeks can elapse between when animals are first identified as lame by external observers and when they are treated. Whilst digital dermatitis cannot be eliminated once it is present on a unit, prompt treatment of acutely affected animals and regular, routine footbathing of all cows in the herd can afford high levels of control. There is a growing range of research work which has described the impacts that lameness has on a range of cow activities These changes are likely caused by the discomfort associated with disease. The most successful farms have instituted regular and routine mobility scoring followed by immediate examination and treatment of lame (Score 2 and 3) cows (Figure 7) Since foot temperature varies between animals, environmental conditions and stage of lactation, looking for differences between the temperature of the front and hind feet of the same cow appears to make the tool most useful
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