Abstract
BackgroundA comprehensive analysis of the relation between digital dermatitis (DD) and cow and herd characteristics in Canadian dairies is currently lacking.MethodsA multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed using 12,260 cow records from 62 dairy farms to assess association between 27 cow and herd‐level variables, and presence of DD.ResultsThe odds for a cow to have at least 1 DD lesion were higher in first‐parity cows and those in later lactation (≥45 days in milk). Housing cows on a concrete base was associated with higher odds (OR 2.24) for DD when bedding was added once a week or less. Bedding the concrete base more frequently reduced odds for DD. Wood shavings or other bedding types were more positively associated with DD (OR 2.31 and 1.87, respectively) compared to sawdust. Also, the odds of DD were lower on farms with a scraping manure frequency of every 2 h compared to less frequent scraping (OR 0.54).ConclusionNine risk factors for DD were identified and quantified, with stall base, bedding type, and manure scraping frequency associated with lower odds of DD. DD prevalence could be reduced by implementing management practices for first‐parity cows, as they had higher odds of DD.
Highlights
Digital dermatitis (DD) was first reported by Cheli et al.[1] and is currently considered the main contributor to lameness cases of infectious origin in dairy cattle worldwide.[2]
Hoof trimmer was not included as a random effect as it did not explain any additional variation; it did not affect regression coefficients nor their confidence intervals
Three variables were not considered for the construction of the statistical model, 2 due to high correlations (305-day milk yield was correlated with 24-h milk yield and manure scraping system was correlated with manure scraping frequency) and 1 because there were limited observations in 1 group
Summary
Digital dermatitis (DD) was first reported by Cheli et al.[1] and is currently considered the main contributor to lameness cases of infectious origin in dairy cattle worldwide.[2]. Reduced leg cleanliness has been associated with a higher DD prevalence.[13,14] Frequent removal of manure from alleyways is recommended, both positive and negative effects on DD have been reported.[15,16] Whether or not associations among floor type, manure scraping frequency and presence of DD are causal associations has not been reported, but it is hypothesized that insufficient drainage of manure, along with muddy and moist conditions, reduced cleanliness and increased odds for DD.[17,18]. Housing cows on a concrete base was associated with higher odds (OR 2.24) for DD when bedding was added once a week or less. Conclusion: Nine risk factors for DD were identified and quantified, with stall base, bedding type, and manure scraping frequency associated with lower odds of DD. DD prevalence could be reduced by implementing management practices for first-parity cows, as they had higher odds of DD
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