Abstract
Background and Aim:This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the associations between different types of housing, management, and facilities on the prevalence of lame, causing lesions in smallholder dairy farms in Algeria.Materials and Methods:The on-site investigation took place between December 2012 and May 2015. All cows were locomotion scored on a four-point scale, and foot lesions causing lame were diagnosed and recorded. Factors related to the farm and the cows’ conditions were also assessed. The association between the possible risk factors and lame lesions was assessed using univariate analysis.Results:Of the 349 cows evaluated, 13% were lame (lameness score ≥2), with higher lameness values recorded for the hind feet than for the forefeet. Cows without lameness were classified as healthy. The two most frequent lesion diagnoses observed in lame cows were interdigital dermatitis/heel horn erosion (ID/HE; 39%) and interdigital phlegmon (IP; 35%), followed by traumatic lesions (T; 11%), digital dermatitis (DD; 8.7%), and laminitis-related diseases (L; 6.5%). The risk of being lame was increased in large herds with cows of the Holstein breed, and those in the third parity and above. Tie housing, concrete floor, concentrate feeding, zero-grazing, and the use of foot trimming occasionally were associated with increased risk for the presence of lame lesions. The region and footbathing frequency had no association with the prevalence of lame lesions (p≥0.05).Conclusion:These results have important implications; they indicate that several aspects of housing, management, and facility design are common protective factors for the prevalence of lame lesions. These factors should be maintained correctly to not only reduce the number of lame cows in these herds but also decrease the direct and indirect costs associated with cases of lameness.
Highlights
In smallholder dairy systems, which dominate our agriculture, Algerian dairy cattle population is estimated at 2 million, with estimated milk production of 3 billion liters [1]
These results have important implications; they indicate that several aspects of housing, management, and facility design are common protective factors for the prevalence of lame lesions
Our aim was to investigate the risk factors related to environmental conditions, housing, management, and facility design associated with lameness lesions in dairy cows, raised in small Algerian farms, in the northeastern region of the country
Summary
In smallholder dairy systems, which dominate our agriculture, Algerian dairy cattle population is estimated at 2 million, with estimated milk production of 3 billion liters [1]. Milk production systems can be broadly categorized into urban, peri-urban and rural, and are located in the north of the country. This area accounts for most of the dairy cow population (60%), forage area (60.9%), and domestic raw milk production (63%). The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the associations between different types of housing, management, and facilities on the prevalence of lame, causing lesions in smallholder dairy farms in Algeria
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