Lameness In Cattle Research Articles

Phenytoin: A promising non-antibiotic drug for the topical treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cows.

Background and Aim:Digital dermatitis (DD) is one of the most common causes of lameness in dairy cattle. It is seen in nearly all dairy herds across the world and has substantial welfare and economic implications. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of phenytoin sodium topical treatment on painful ulcerative stage of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD).Materials and Methods:In total, 45 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows with DD were randomly assigned to one of the three topical treatment trials (15 each): Saline solution (first treatment, negative control), chlortetracycline spray (second treatment, positive control), or phenytoin sodium powder (third treatment, positive control) (third treatment). On day 0 (pre-treatment) and on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-treatment, the response of DD-affected cows to the medications used was evaluated by measuring lesion depth and size, as well as the total clinical score (lameness, pain, and discomfort).Results:The cure rate in cows treated with phenytoin (86.66%) on day 28 was significantly improved compared to cows treated with either chlortetracycline (60%) or normal saline (6.66 %).Conclusion:Our findings highlight the superiority of phenytoin over the commonly used antibacterial agent, chlortetracycline, in the topical treatment of BDD, and subsequently suggest that phenytoin should be considered a suitable alternative treatment option for the treatment of BDD.

Diagnosis of Bovine Digital Dermatitis: Exploring the Usefulness of Indirect ELISA.

The precision by which animal diseases are diagnosed affects our ability to make informed decisions with regards to animal health management, from a clinical and economic perspective. Lameness is a major health condition in dairy cattle. The underlying causes of lameness include bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), which is reported as one of the main causes of infectious lameness in dairy cattle. Presently, the gold standard for BDD diagnosis in dairy cattle is visual inspection of lifted hooves—a labour intensive and subjective method. Research has suggested that Treponema spp. are the main pathogens associated with the establishment of BDD. We explored the potential of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a diagnostic serological tool in the identification of cows at different stages of BDD. Additionally, we evaluated the predictive power of this diagnostic tool on the future occurrence of BDD lesions. A total of 232 cows from three farms were used in the study. Serum samples and hoof health data were collected at three time points: ~ 30 days pre-calving, around calving, and approximately 30 days post-calving. The mean absorbance from the ELISA test was compared across different clinical presentations of BDD as assessed by visual inspection of the hooves according to the M-stage classification system. A transition model was developed to estimate the probability of lesion occurrence in time t + 1 based on the spectrophotometer (absorbance) reading in time t. The mean absorbance reading for both IgG1 and IgG2 anti-Treponema antibodies was associated with disease presence—apart from M4.1 lesions, animals with no lesions had a lower mean when compared to animals with lesions regardless of the score. Additionally, the mean absorbance reading of animals with active lesions was higher when compared to animals with no lesions. However, the anti-Treponema antibody assays failed to identify disease presence in a consistent manner. Moreover, indirect ELISA readings were not a predictor of the future occurrence of BDD lesions. In conclusion, although the levels anti-Treponema antibodies were associated with disease presence, the ELISA test failed to detect disease unequivocally and had no predictive value in the future occurrence of BDD lesions.

Intelligent Perception-Based Cattle Lameness Detection and Behaviour Recognition: A Review.

Simple SummaryCattle lameness detection as well as behaviour recognition are the two main objectives in the applications of precision livestock farming (PLF). Over the last five years, the development of smart sensors, big data, and artificial intelligence has offered more automatic tools. In this review, we discuss over 100 papers that used automated techniques to detect cattle lameness and to recognise animal behaviours. To assist researchers and policy-makers in promoting various livestock technologies for monitoring cattle welfare and productivity, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of intelligent perception for cattle lameness detection and behaviour analysis in the PLF domain. Based on the literature review, we anticipate that PLF will develop in an objective, autonomous, and real-time direction. Additionally, we suggest that further research should be dedicated to improving the data quality, modeling accuracy, and commercial availability.The growing world population has increased the demand for animal-sourced protein. However, animal farming productivity is faced with challenges from traditional farming practices, socioeconomic status, and climate change. In recent years, smart sensors, big data, and deep learning have been applied to animal welfare measurement and livestock farming applications, including behaviour recognition and health monitoring. In order to facilitate research in this area, this review summarises and analyses some main techniques used in smart livestock farming, focusing on those related to cattle lameness detection and behaviour recognition. In this study, more than 100 relevant papers on cattle lameness detection and behaviour recognition have been evaluated and discussed. Based on a review and a comparison of recent technologies and methods, we anticipate that intelligent perception for cattle behaviour and welfare monitoring will develop towards standardisation, a larger scale, and intelligence, combined with Internet of things (IoT) and deep learning technologies. In addition, the key challenges and opportunities of future research are also highlighted and discussed.

Economic losses due to clinical lameness in Kosovo dairy cattle

The health of dairy cows is an important factor affecting the profitability of dairy farms worldwide, and lameness is regarded as one of the most costly dairy cattle diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic cost of cow lameness among Kosovo dairy farms. Data collected from 56 dairy farms were analysed with a farm-level stochastic (Monte Carlo) simulation model to estimate the cost of lameness. Lameness-associated sources of economic loss examined within the model included: reduced milk production, treatment cost, discarded milk, reduced cow body weight, and premature culling. Results showed that prevalence of lameness among cows on Kosovo dairy farms ranged from 17% to 39%. The average annual cost of lameness was estimated at €338.57 per farm (or €46.25 per cow). Reduced milk production was the largest financial contribution to the cost of lameness (45% of total economic loss) followed by premature culling (31% of total economic loss). Discarded milk, reduced cow body weight, and cost of treatment each contributed approximately 8% to the total economic loss. These findings indicate that dairy farmers need to be more cognizant of the financial losses associated with lameness and should be encouraged to implement management strategies to reduce lameness as a means of enhancing farm profitability.

66 Blood MicroRNAomes Revealed Signatures of Lameness Phenotypes in Feedlot Cattle

Abstract Lameness is a significant health issue in Canadian feedlots resulting in substantial economic losses. However, the high frequency of misdiagnosis of lameness using traditional methods leads to ineffective treatment, suggesting a new diagnostic method is needed. Growing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as biomarkers for identifying the animals’ physiological status and the diagnosis of certain diseases, but this approach has not been utilized in beef cattle. The objective of this study was to compare blood miRNA profiles between lame and healthy cattle to investigate the relationship between miRNA expression patterns and specific lameness phenotypes. Blood samples were collected from 156 feedlot cattle at 0, 1, 2 and 3 weeks after being diagnosed with either digital dermatitis (DD; n=62), toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS; n = 40), or footrot (FR; n = 40) and healthy controls (HC; n = 12) for miRNA libraries construction and sequencing. A total of 314 expressed miRNAs were identified in 89 blood samples collected at week 0 across all groups, with TTN having the largest number of expressed miRNAs (291, P < 0.01) compared to all other groups (HC=276, DD=281, FR=278). Although miRNA profiles did not differ among the lameness types, type-specific miRNAs were identified; 6 in DD, 10 in TTN, 5 in FR and 7 in HC cattle. In addition, 3, 6 and 7 DE miRNAs were detected in DD, TTNS and FR when compared with HC cattle. Most of the DE and group-specific miRNAs are related to inflammation and skin diseases. The DE miRNAs were different between week 0 and all other weeks, indicating miRNA profiles may differ over time and with disease progression and recovery. These findings provide an initial understanding of the relationship between the cattle blood miRNAome and lameness and suggest that miRNA expression holds promise in the discovery of novel biomarkers for identifying lameness.

Exploring farmers' understanding of and responses to endemic animal health and welfare issues in the UK.

This paper uses two endemic health conditions to explore farmer understandings of and responses to livestock health and welfare issues. The findings are based on a survey of 42 livestock farmers in the north of England, exploring how they manage lameness in sheep and cattle and bovine viral diarrhoea in cattle. We identify similarities and differences in their approaches. Two themes emerge. (1) The importance of difference between animal types (i.e., beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep), which highlights the 'complex' and 'multifactorial' nature of animal health and welfare. It is necessary to unpack this to understand the interplay of animal, resource and management issues in farmer responses. (2) Previous research has identified 'lack of knowledge' as a key welfare issue. Our findings reveal farmers are in fact seeking, acquiring and sharing knowledge on practices related to the management of animal health however individual circumstance and context influence how this translates in practice. Our research highlights the importance of integrating different perspectives and knowledges as a way of understanding and responding to animal health and welfare concerns. Facilitating knowledge exchange both within and between different groups and sectors is vital in achieving this.

Dairy cattle lameness prevalence, causes and risk factors in selected farms of southern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to December 2019 to estimate the prevalence of lameness in dairy cows, to assess the causes and associated risk factors in southern Ethiopia. A total of 2009 dairy cows were visually and clinically examined, and the overall prevalence of lameness was found to be 14. 1% (95% CI=12.7-15.7). The prevalence of lameness was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in Arsi Negelle, Yirgalem, and Wolaita Sodo than in Wondo Genet and Hawassa. The prevalence of lameness was also associated with the stages of pregnancy and parity (P < 0.05). Generally, the prevalence of lameness in dairy cows was increasing with the increase in parity and stage of pregnancy. The main abnormalities observed in this study were hooves overgrowth (6%), lesions between hooves (4%), lesions on legs (2.2%), trauma (0.6%), arthritis (0.5%), and a sole ulcer (0.3%). Most of these abnormalities were mainly due to faulty management. Hence, based on this finding it is recommended that hoof management and trimming are very essential components of lameness control. Furthermore, early detection and treatment of lame cows; training of the owners on hoof management; and improvement of the housing are helpful to keep lameness at a lower level.

Precision Technologies to Address Dairy Cattle Welfare: Focus on Lameness, Mastitis and Body Condition.

Simple SummaryThe welfare of farm animals is a growing concern in the EU and across the world. In milk production, there is a strong need to assess the welfare of dairy cows. One of the most sound assessment initiatives has been practiced using protocols developed by the Welfare Quality project. These protocols mainly support the assessment of cow welfare with animal-based indicators. However, evaluating these indicators is time-consuming and expensive, so using precision livestock farming (PLF) solutions is a way forward and is becoming a reality in the dairy industry. This review presents advances in PLF solutions, particularly in the last five years, and for assessing the animal-based indicators of lameness, mastitis, and body condition in dairy cattle farming.Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

Lameness in Beef Cattle: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Survey of On-Farm Practices and Approaches.

Cattle lameness is a concern to the United Kingdom (UK) cattle industry, negatively impacting upon welfare and production. Previous work involving one small study (n = 21) has identified that some UK beef farmers underestimate lameness prevalence, but also that farmers vary in their perception of the impact of lameness. Knowledge and skills of farmers were identified as a potential concern, and farmer-reported barriers were identified. However, the extent to which these views can be extrapolated is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to produce descriptive results of UK beef farmer lameness-related activities concerning lameness identification, examination, treatment, and prevention. Questionnaires were circulated online and via post. Postal questionnaires were sent to registered Approved Finishing Units (a specific cohort of beef fattening units subject to strict biosecurity measures as part of UK bovine tuberculosis control) and a stratified sample of all registered beef enterprises in England and Wales. Online questionnaires were circulated on social media and via targeted emails asking selected industry bodies and veterinary practices to distribute to farmers. Descriptive results were produced, and thematic analysis was performed on free text responses. There were 532 usable responses, with most farmers self-reporting their current lameness prevalence as zero (mean 1.2%, range 0–20%). Most respondents did not locomotion score cattle, and most reported that it was not safe to examine feet. Most farmers did not use a foot bath, but of those who did, formaldehyde was the most commonly used product. Some farmers reported use of antibiotic foot baths. Most farmers reported dealing with lame animals within 48 h, but some only dealt with severe cases, and some felt that lame animals would get better by themselves. To deal with animals that have an ongoing lameness problem, transportation to slaughter was considered an option by 35% of farmers. It is worth noting, however, that the majority of lame animals would be precluded from transport under UK legislation. Farmers reported staff shortages, as well as a lack of time, training, and knowledge as barriers to lameness prevention and control. Overall, these results suggest that farmers may be underestimating lameness. Diagnosis is likely to be challenging, with unsafe facilities for lifting feet. The reported high threshold by some farmers for attending to a lame animal is a cause for concern, negatively impacting upon animal welfare, but this is also likely to have negative consequences for animal performance and farm profitability. Many participants in this study expressed a desire for farmer training in several aspects relating to lameness prevention and control, and this represents an opportunity for further knowledge exchange regarding lameness in beef cattle.

Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Susceptibility Loci for Noninfectious Claw Lesions in Holstein Dairy Cattle.

Sole ulcers (SUs) and white line disease (WLD) are two common noninfectious claw lesions (NICL) that arise due to a compromised horn production and are frequent causes of lameness in dairy cattle, imposing welfare and profitability concerns. Low to moderate heritability estimates of SU and WLD susceptibility indicate that genetic selection could reduce their prevalence. To identify the susceptibility loci for SU, WLD, SU and/or WLD, and any type of noninfectious claw lesion, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) regression, chunk-based association testing (CBAT), and a random forest (RF) approach. Cows from five commercial dairies in California were classified as controls having no lameness records and ≥6 years old (n = 102) or cases having SU (n = 152), WLD (n = 117), SU and/or WLD (SU + WLD, n = 198), or any type of noninfectious claw lesion (n = 217). The top single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were defined as those passing the Bonferroni-corrected suggestive and significance thresholds in the GLMM analysis or those that a validated RF model considered important. Effects of the top SNPs were quantified using Bayesian estimation. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks defined by the top SNPs were explored for candidate genes and previously identified, functionally relevant quantitative trait loci. The GLMM and CBAT approaches revealed the same regions of association on BTA8 for SU and BTA13 common to WLD, SU + WLD, and NICL. These SNPs had effects significantly different from zero, and the LD blocks they defined explained a significant amount of phenotypic variance for each dataset (6.1–8.1%, p < 0.05), indicating the small but notable contribution of these regions to susceptibility. These regions contained candidate genes involved in wound healing, skin lesions, bone growth and mineralization, adipose tissue, and keratinization. The LD block defined by the most significant SNP on BTA8 for SU included a SNP previously associated with SU. The RF models were overfitted, indicating that the SNP effects were very small, thereby preventing meaningful interpretation of SNPs and any downstream analyses. These findings suggested that variants associated with various physiological systems may contribute to susceptibility for NICL, demonstrating the complexity of genetic predisposition.

A Deep Learning Framework for Improving Lameness Identification in Dairy Cattle

Lameness, characterized by an anomalous gait in cows due to a dysfunction in their locomotive system, is a serious welfare issue for cows and farmers. Prompt lameness detection methods can prevent the development of acute lameness in cattle. In this study, we propose a deep learning framework to help identify lameness based on motion curves of different leg joints on the cow. The framework combines data augmentation and a convolutional neural network using an LeNet architecture. Performance assessed using cross validation showed promising prediction accuracies above 99% and 91% for validation and test sets, respectively. This also demonstrates the usefulness of data generation in cases where the data set is originally small in size and difficult to generate.

Early detection and prompt effective treatment of lameness in dairy cattle

Lameness remains a substantial challenge within the UK dairy industry despite significant investment and research in this area. The early detection and prompt effective treatment (EDPET) of new cases of lameness is vital in breaking the chronicity cycle associated with the condition yet remains an under-utilised approach. There needs to be a shift in focus away from using mobility scoring solely as an auditing tool. Mobility scoring should instead be used to empower producers to recognise early cases of lameness to maximise the long-term welfare of the animal and profitability of the unit.

Association of body condition with lameness in dairy cattle: a single-farm longitudinal study.

This research communication describes the relationship between the occurrence of lameness and body condition score (BCS) in a sample of 288 cows from a single farm that were repeatedly scored in the course of 9 months while controlling for confounding variables. The relationship between BCS and lameness was evaluated using generalised linear mixed-effects models. It was found that the proportion of lame cows was higher with decreasing but also with increasing BCS, increased with lactation number and decreased with time since the last claw trimming. This is likely to reflect the importance of sufficient body condition in the prevention of lameness but also raises the question of the impact of overcondition on lameness and the influence of claw trimming events on the assessment of lameness. A stronger focus on BCS might allow improved management of lameness that is still one of the major problems in housed cows.

A prospective longitudinal study of risk factors associated with cattle lameness in southern Alberta feedlots

The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence proportion of lameness in feedlot cattle and the associated risk factors. Lameness was studied in two southern Alberta feedlots over a 2 yr period. The incidence proportion of lameness was 36.3% for all calves pulled for treatment. Risk factors associated (P &lt; 0.0001) with increased lameness included body weight (BW), type of cattle, source, stocking density, percentage of forage in the diet, season, precipitation 1 d before diagnosis, and average temperature range 3 d prior to diagnosis. As BW (P &lt; 0.001) increased, the odds of becoming lame also increased. Yearlings and Holsteins had greater (P &lt; 0.001) incidence of lameness than respiratory disease. The odds of becoming lame decreased (P &lt; 0.001) with increased pen density and percentage of forage in the diet. Lameness was greatest in spring (P &lt; 0.001) with the odds of becoming lame being more likely (P &lt; 0.001) with increased precipitation and temperature range (P &lt; 0.001). Use of a multifactorial approach including animal, managerial, and environmental factors in a single analysis will improve our understanding of the risk of increased lameness and aid in development of strategies to reduce its incidence in feedlots.

Tracking Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in a Complex Microbial Community Using Metagenomic Hi-C: The Case of Bovine Digital Dermatitis.

Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a contagious infectious cause of lameness in cattle with unknown definitive etiologies. Many of the bacterial species detected in metagenomic analyses of DD lesions are difficult to culture, and their antimicrobial resistance status is largely unknown. Recently, a novel proximity ligation-guided metagenomic approach (Hi-C ProxiMeta) has been used to identify bacterial reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) directly from microbial communities, without the need to culture individual bacteria. The objective of this study was to track tetracycline resistance determinants in bacteria involved in DD pathogenesis using Hi-C. A pooled sample of macerated tissues from clinical DD lesions was used for this purpose. Metagenome deconvolution using ProxiMeta resulted in the creation of 40 metagenome-assembled genomes with ≥80% complete genomes, classified into five phyla. Further, 1959 tetracycline resistance genes and ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycoside, beta-lactams, sulfonamide, phenicol, lincosamide, and erythromycin were identified along with their bacterial hosts. In conclusion, the widespread distribution of genes conferring resistance against tetracycline and other antimicrobials in bacteria of DD lesions is reported for the first time. Use of proximity ligation to identify microorganisms hosting specific ARGs holds promise for tracking ARGs transmission in complex microbial communities.

Changes in the soft-tissue thickness of the claw sole in Holstein heifers around calving

Claw horn disruption lesions are a common cause of lameness in dairy cattle. It is commonly agreed that they develop due to excessive pressure from the distal phalanx on the horn-producing tissue in the sole. The distal phalanx is supported by the suspensory apparatus, a large proportion of which is made up of connective tissue. It has been hypothesized that increased laxity of the connective tissue due to hormonal changes around calving may lead to decreased support of the distal phalanx, resulting in a sinking of the bone and increased pressure on the horn-producing tissue. In this longitudinal study, our first objective was to determine whether the thickness of the soft tissue related to the claw sole (the combined depth of the digital cushion and corium; soft-tissue thickness, STT) in the weight-bearing hind claws of live heifers changed around calving (the period from approximately 3 wk before calving to 2 wk after calving). Our second objective was to evaluate the relationship between the body condition score (BCS) of recruited heifers and the STT estimates we obtained. We measured STT (defined as the distance between the distal phalanx and the sole horn) in the apex and the posterior part of the sole of the hind claws of 34 Holstein heifers 4 times over 3 to 4 wk around calving. We determined STT by ultrasonographic measurements through the sole horn on weight-bearing claws. The overall mean STT at site 1 was 3.3 mm [minimum-maximum (min-max): 1.8 to 5.2 mm], and the mean at site 2 was 3.7 mm (min-max: 2.2 to 5.8). The overall mean STT was thickest in the first examination before calving [site 1: 3.4 mm (min-max: 1.9 to 4.7); site 2: 4.1 mm (min-max: 2.7 to 5.8)] and thinnest at site 1 in the second examination after calving (3.2 mm, min-max: 1.8 to 5.2) and at site 2 at the first examination after calving (3.5 mm, min-max: 2.2 to 5.0). We observed an average reduction in STT of -0.2 mm (min-max: 0.8 to -0.9 mm) at site 1 during the study period, but we did not observe this reduction in all animals. At site 2, we found an average reduction in STT of -0.6 mm (min-max: 0.8 to -1.3 mm) from 10 d before calving to 5 d after calving, corresponding to a decrease of approximately 15% (min-max: 0 to 31%). We suggest that this reduction was caused by a rotation of the distal phalanx toward the posterior part of the sole horn in the weeks around calving. During the same period, heifer BCS decreased between 0.25 and 0.5 increments in the BCS scale, but we found no correlation between BCS and STT. However, the heifers experienced many changes related to management, feeding, and time budget during the study period, and the rotation of the distal phalanx and reduction of the STT might be explained not only by calving but also by other factors that affect heifers and their claws during the transition period.

Cattle lameness

Digital dermatitis (DD) or hairy heel warts is the most important infectious claw disease associated with lameness in dairy and beef cattle. This disease has appeared worldwide and has affected dairy cattle of all ages as early as 3 months of age, but mostly around breeding age and again during lactation around 21 to 120 days in milk (DIM). This seminar is aimed at emphasizing how chronically affected dairy cows with a history of DD before first calving will increase infectious pressure upon the lactating herd, and that early detection efforts, topical treatment, and disinfecting hoof baths should be customized to the dynamics of DD on-farm. The so-called ‘Manageable State of Disease’ where DD is under control, but still present, in a group of cattle, can be reached by systematic prevention and control of DD in the pre-calving heifers combined with risk factor management in addition to customized prevention and control of DD in the lactating herd. Veterinarians, hoof trimmers, and herd managers are part of exacerbating DD outbreaks and chronicity of DD lesions when too caustic or too frequent prevention and control measures are implemented. We are part of the problem! This presentation will explain why.

Prediction of lameness using automatically recorded activity, behavior and production data in post-parturient Irish dairy cows

BackgroundAlthough visual locomotion scoring is inexpensive and simplistic, it is also time consuming and subjective. Automated lameness detection methods have been developed to replace the visual locomotion scoring and aid in early and accurate detection. Several types of sensors are measuring traits such as activity, lying behavior or temperature. Previous studies on automatic lameness detection have been unable to achieve high accuracy in combination with practical implementation in a on farm commercial setting. The objective of our research was to develop a prediction model for lameness in dairy cattle using a combination of remote sensor technology and other animal records that will translate sensor data into easy to interpret classified locomotion information for the farmer. During an 11-month period, data from 164 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were gathered, housed at an Irish research farm. A neck-mounted accelerometer was used to gather behavioral metrics, additional automatically recorded data consisted of milk production and live weight. Locomotion scoring data were manually recorded, using a one-to-five scale (1 = non-lame, 5 = severely lame). Locomotion scores where then used to label the cows as sound (locomotion score 1) or unsound (locomotion score ≥ 2). Four supervised classification models, using a gradient boosted decision tree machine learning algorithm, were constructed to investigate whether cows could be classified as sound or unsound. Data available for model building included behavioral metrics, milk production and animal characteristics.ResultsThe resulting models were constructed using various combinations of the data sources. The accuracy of the models was then compared using confusion matrices, receiver-operator characteristic curves and calibration plots. The model which achieved the highest performance according to the accuracy measures, was the model combining all the available data, resulting in an area under the curve of 85% and a sensitivity and specificity of 78%.ConclusionThese results show that 85% of this model’s predictions were correct in identifying cows as sound or unsound, showing that the use of a neck-mounted accelerometer, in combination with production and other animal data, has potential to replace visual locomotion scoring as lameness detection method in dairy cows.

The relationship between claw diseases of dairy cows and the protein and urea content of the milk

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-14 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.102-104 The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the claw diseases of dairy cows on the protein and urea content in milk. The study was conducted on 198 dairy cows, half of which was lame. Animals were divided into three groups according to their current phase of lactation. The cause of lameness was diagnosed in the claw crush. Milk samples were taken from all animals and the protein and urea content were determined. The content of protein and urea in milk of the lame cows in the first phase of lactation was reduced by 9.55 % and 29.9 %, respectively. Lame cows in the second phase of lactation had milk and urea content reduced by 6.94 % and 18.9 %, respectively. The cows in the third phase of lactation had content of milk protein and urea decreased by 10.3 % and 18 %, respectively. These results point to the fact that painful claw diseases affect the protein and urea content of milk. Keywords: claw diseases, dairy cattle, milk, protein, urea References Auldist, M. J. et al. (1995). Changes in the composition of milk from healthy and mastitic dairy cows during the lactation cycle. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture , 35, 427-436. DOI: 10.1071/EA9950427. Auldist, M. J. et al. (1998) Seasonal and lactational influences on bovine milk composition in New Zealand. Journal of Dairy Research , 65, 401-411. DOI: 10.1017/s0022029998002970. Auldist, M. J., Hubble, I. B. (1998). Effects of mastitis on raw milk and dairy products. The Australian Journal of Dairy Technology , 1998, 53, 28-36. AGR: IND21984460. Bach, A. et al. (2007). Associations between lameness and production, feeding and milking attendance of Holstein cows milked with an automatic milking system. Journal of Dairy Research , 74(1), 40–46. DOI: 10.1017/S0022029906002184. Bradley, A. et al. (2012). Control of mastitis and enhancement of milk quality. In Green M. et al. (eds). Dairy Herd Health . Croydon:CABI, 117–168. DOI: 10.1079/9781845939977.0117. Dhali, A et al. (2006). Monitoring feeding adequacy in dairy cows using milk urea and milk protein contents under farm condition. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences , 19, 1742-1748. DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2006.1742. Green, L. E. et al. (2010). Associations between lesion-specific lameness and the milk yield of 1635 dairy cows from seven herds in the Xth region of Chile and implications for the management of dairy cows worldwide. Animal Welfare , 19, 419-427. ISSN: 0962-7286. Grimm, K. et al. (2019). New insights into the association between lameness, behavior, and performance in Simmental cows. Journal of Dairy Science , 102(3), 2453–2468. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15035. Haug, A. et al. (2007). Bovine milk in human nutrition–a review. Lipids in Health and Disease , 6(1), 25. DOI: 10.1186/1476-511X-6-25 Holdaway, R. J. (1990). A comparison of methods for the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis within New Zealand dairy herds. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massey University, http://hdl.handle.net/10179/3162 Jonker, J. S. et al. (1998). Using milk urea nitrogen to predict nitrogen excretion and utilization efficiency in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science , 81, 2681–2692. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(98)75825-4. Kohn, R. A. et al. (2002). Evaluation of models to estimate urinary nitrogen and expected milk urea nitrogen. Journal fo Dairy Science , 85, 227–233. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(02)74071-X. Mudroň, P. (2015). Claw diseases and dairy production. Slovak Veterinary Journal , 40(1-2), 77–80. O´Callaghan KA, et al. (2003). Subjective and objective assessment of pain and discomfort due to lameness in dairy cattle. Animal Welfare , 12(4), 605–610. Shuster, D. E. et al. (1991). Suppression of Milk Production During Endotoxin-Induced Mastitis. Journal of Dairy Science , 74 (11), 3763-3774. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78568-8. Tyasi, T. L. et al. (2015). Assessing the effect of nutrition on milk composition of dairy cows: A review. International Journal of Current Science , 17, 2250–1770. ISSN: 2250-1770. Vajda, V., Maskaľová, I. (2016). Evaluation of feed quality and creation of productive animal health , Košice: UVLF. ISBN: 978-80-8077-526-1.

The effect of claw disorders on the locomotion activity of dairy cows

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-26 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.135-139 The purpose of the work was aimed at determining changes in locomotion activity of dairy cows with healthy claws, as opposed to cows suffering from claw disorders. To achieve this goal, Heatime RuminAct technical equipment was used. Data gathering took place at the dairy farm of University of Agriculture in Nitra, where locomotion activity was measured via Heatime RuminAct hardware with DataFlowTMII software. This data came from 87 dairy cows, whose locomotion activity was monitored during a period of 21 days. This period consisted of 10 days of monitoring before the claw trimming, monitoring during the day of the trimming, and afterwards, another 10 days of monitoring after the trimming was complete. Units of locomotion activity in 24 hours (u.24h -1 ) were used to formulate the locomotion activity of the dairy cows. Health conditions of claws of the dairy cows were recorded and based on the presence of claw disorders, the cows were divided into two groups - cows with observed claw disorders formed a group of 33 cows, and cows exhibiting no claw disorder related symptoms formed a group of 54 cows. Conclusions based on results from the data gathered confirm a crucial difference in locomotion activity between healthy cows and cows afflicted by claw disorders. Keywords: dairy cow, Heatime RuminAct, locomotion activity, claw health, claw disorders References Anil, L. et al. (2005). Pain detection and amelioration in animals on the farm: issues and options. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science , 8, 261-278. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327604jaws0804_3 Beer, G. et al. (2016). Use of extended characteristics of locomotion and feeding behavior for automated identification of lame dairy cows. PLoS One , 11, e0155796. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155796 Bruijnis, M. R. et al. H. (2010). Assessing economic consequences of foot disorders in dairy cattle using a dynamic stochastic simulation model. Journal of Dairy Scienc e, 93(6), 2419-2432. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2009-2721 Flower, F. C. et al.(2006). Effect of hoof pathologies on subjective assessments of dairy cow gait. Journal of Dairy Science , 89, 139-146. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72077-X Hudson, C. et al. (2008) H. Recognition and management of pain in cattle. In Practice, 30, 126-134. https://doi.org/ 10.1136/inpract.30.3.126 King, M. T. M. et al. (2017). Cow-level associations of lameness, behavior, and milk yield of cows milked in automated systems. Journal of Dairy Science , 100(6), 4818-4828. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-12281 Nechanitzky, K. et al. (2016). Analysis of behavioral changes in dairy cows associated with claw horn lesions. Journal of Dairy Science , 99(4), 2904-2914. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-10109 O'Callaghan, K. A. et al. (2003). Subjective and objective assessment of pain and discomfort due to lameness in dairy cattle. Animal Welfare , 12, 605-610. O'Leary, N. W. et al. (2020). Invited review: Cattle lameness detection with accelerometers. Journal of Dairy Science , 103(5), 3895-3911. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17123 Shepley, E. et al. (2017). Validation of the ability of a 3D pedometer to accurately determine the number of steps taken by dairy cows when housed in tie-stalls. Agriculture (Basel), 7, 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture7070053 Stoddard, G. C. and Cramer, G. (2017). A Review of the Relationship Between Hoof Trimming and Dairy Cattle Welfare. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice , 33(2), 365-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2017.02.012 Strapak, P. et al. (2013). Cattle Breeding . Nitra: Slovak University of Agriculture. In Slovak. Thorup, V. M. et al. (2015). Lameness detection via leg-mounted accelerometers on dairy cows on four commercial farms. Animal , 9, 1704-1712. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731115000890 Weigele, H. C. et al. (2018). Moderate lameness leads to marked behavioral changes in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science , 101(3), 2370-2382. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13120