Locomotion Score Research Articles

Association between restricted outings and geriatric locomotive function scale score in the general elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundRestrictions in daily activities due to coronavirus infection countermeasures reduced opportunities for physical activity and social participation in people of all ages. This study investigated the associations of restricted outings on locomotive function during the COVID-19 pandemic using a cohort of middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling residents. MethodsRegistered citizens of 50 to 89 years old were targeted for this investigation. We established 8 groups based on age (50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s) and gender (male and female) after random sampling from the basic resident registry of Obuse town in 2014. All participants were surveyed by a 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale (GLFS-25) at the time of checkup before the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in 2021 and 2022 after government restrictions on outings were lifted for COVID-19 pandemic, all participants were mailed questionnaires including the GLFS-25. A total of 296 (143 male and 153 female) participants who responded at least once were included. We evaluated the changes in opportunities to go out between pre- and post-pandemic time points and the impact on GLFS-25 scores. ResultsIn total, 128 (43.2%) respondents had fewer opportunities to go out than the previous year. Pre- and post-pandemic GLFS-25 scores in the decreased outing (+) group were significantly worse than in the decreased outing (-) group (both p<0.01). The final multivariate model revealed GLFS-25 score worsening beta coefficient of 0.27 for age (+10 years), 3.97 for male, 4.54 for decreased outings, and 4.46 for spinal canal stenosis. ConclusionsIn this randomly sampled Japanese cohort based on a resident registry, restricted outings during the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant independent factor associated with lower locomotive function.

A Matched-Pair Analysis of Gross Motor Skills of 3- to 5-Year-Old Children With and Without a Chronic Physical Illness.

The purpose of this study was to compare the gross motor skills of children with a chronic physical illness with those of their healthy peers. Data for children with a chronic physical illness come from the Multimorbidity in Children and Youth Across the Life Course study, and data from children without a physical illness come from the Health Outcomes and Physical Activity in Preschoolers study. Multimorbidity in Children and Youth Across the Life Course and Health Outcomes and Physical Activity in Preschoolers included children ages 3-5years and administered the Peabody Development Motor Scales-second edition. Participants were sex and age matched (20 male and 15 female pairs; Mage = 54.03 [9.5]mo). Gross motor skills scores were "below average" for 47% of children with a physical illness compared with 9% of children without a physical illness (P = .003). Matched-paired t tests detected significant differences in total gross motor scores (dz = -0.35), locomotor (dz = -0.31), and object control (dz = -0.39) scores, with healthy children exhibiting better motor skills, and no significant difference in stationary scores (dz = -0.19). This skill gap may increase burden on children with physical illnessand future research should assess gross motor skills longitudinally to establish whether the gap widens with age.

Evaluating machine learning algorithms to predict lameness in dairy cattle.

Dairy cattle lameness represents one of the common concerns in intensive and commercial dairy farms. Lameness is characterized by gait-related behavioral changes in cows and multiple approaches are being utilized to associate these changes with lameness conditions including data from accelerometers, and other precision technologies. The objective was to evaluate the use of machine learning algorithms for the identification of lameness conditions in dairy cattle. In this study, 310 multiparous Holstein dairy cows from a herd in Northern Colorado were affixed with a leg-based accelerometer (Icerobotics® Inc, Edinburg, Scotland) to obtain the lying time (min/d), daily steps count (n/d), and daily change (n/d). Subsequently, study cows were monitored for 4 months and cows submitted for claw trimming (CT) were differentiated as receiving corrective claw trimming (CCT) or as being diagnosed with a lameness disorder and consequent therapeutic claw trimming (TCT) by a certified hoof trimmer. Cows not submitted to CT were considered healthy controls. A median filter was applied to smoothen the data by reducing inherent variability. Three different machine learning (ML) models were defined to fit each algorithm which included the conventional features (containing daily lying, daily steps, and daily change derived from the accelerometer), slope features (containing features extracted from each variable in Conventional feature), or all features (3 simple features and 3 slope features). Random forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), Logistic Regression (LR), and Time series (ROCKET) were used as ML predictive approaches. For the classification of cows requiring CCT and TCT, ROCKET classifier performed better with accuracy (> 90%), ROC-AUC (> 74%), and F1 score (> 0.61) as compared to other algorithms. Slope features derived in this study increased the efficiency of algorithms as the better-performing models included All features explored. However, further classification of diseases into infectious and non-infectious events was not effective because none of the algorithms presented satisfactory model accuracy parameters. For the classification of observed cow locomotion scores into severely lame and moderately lame conditions, the ROCKET classifier demonstrated satisfactory accuracy (> 0.85), ROC-AUC (> 0.68), and F1 scores (> 0.44). We conclude that ML models using accelerometer data are helpful in the identification of lameness in cows but need further research to increase the granularity and accuracy of classification.

Association between foot skin temperature (FST) and locomotion scoring (LS) in dairy cattle

The health status of the hoof in dairy cattle is crucial for their overall well-being and productivity. Hoof diseases and lesions can lead to lameness, decreased milk production, and economic losses for dairy farmers. Traditional methods of assessing hoof health involve manual inspection and trimming, which can be time-consuming and subjective. This research article explores the potential use of a phone-connected infrared camera as a non-invasive and objective tool for assessing the health status of the hoof in dairy cattle, by investigating the association between foot skin temperature (FST) and locomotion scoring (LS) in a group of Romanian Black Spotted dairy cows. LS was carried out using the mobile app developed by the Wisconsin University (Locomotion Scorer). The thermograms were collected during afternoon milking and processed using the FLIR software. Overall, 73.9% of the cows were scored as non-lame, while 13.04% presented signs of foot lesions. The highest temperature observed in the interdigital area, in the lame group, by thermography, was T°=36.5°C. In conclusion, monitoring hoof health status in dairy cattle is essential for ensuring their well-being and productivity. The use of an infrared thermal camera for the assessment of foot surface temperature has shown promise as a noninvasive tool for evaluating hoof health.

Evaluation of the antinociceptive effect of lidocaine- tramadol and lidocaine- medetomidine lumbosacral epidural anesthesia: A cross-over comparative study in goats

Small ruminants have a docile temperament and are typically operated under local or regional analgesia. In goats, lumbosacral anesthesia is the most commonly used regional anesthesia. This investigation aimed to evaluate the epidural anesthetic effects of lidocaine-medetomidine (LID-MED) and lidocaine-tramadol (LID-TRM) combinations in relation to cardiopulmonary effects. An experiment using a cross-over design was conducted on eight goats. The first group (LID-MED) was injected with lidocaine hydrochloride and medetomidine hydrochloride. The second group (LID-TRM) was injected with lidocaine hydrochloride and tramadol hydrochloride. The onset of analgesia, recumbency time, and standing time were recorded once, while scores were recorded periodically. Locomotor and anti-nociception scores were evaluated at baseline, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes (min) post-anesthesia. Similarly, cardiorespiratory values were also recorded at the same intervals in each group. In the LID-MED receiving group, analgesia and recumbency onset were earlier, with a longer recumbency period. The LID-MED group showed a significant loss of sensation in all examined regions. The locomotor score revealed hind limb paralysis for 90 min in the LID-TRM group, while it continued for 120 min in the LID-MED group. In both LID-TRM and LID-MED groups, there was significant hypothermia; however, bradycardia was noticed in the LID-MED group from 5 min post-injection. Respiratory depression was also detected in the LID-MED group. The study revealed that lumbosacral epidural anesthesia using LID-TRM co-infusion produces reasonable and short duration (60 min) analgesia. In contrast, epidural lumbosacral injection of LID-MED co-infusion produces a longer duration of analgesia and recumbency.

Age-Adjusted Modified Frailty Index: Association With Hip Fracture Discharge Functional Dependence

IntroductionHip fractures are a common traumatic injury that carry significant morbidity and mortality, and prognostication of functional outcome is becoming increasingly salient. Across multiple surgical specialties, the five-item and 11-item Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5 and mFI-11) have been found to be convenient, quick, and sensitive tools for identifying patients at risk for perioperative complications. A prior study described the superiority of an Age-Adjusted Modified Frailty Index (aamFI) for predicting perioperative complications compared to the mFI-5 in an elective hip surgery. We sought to externally validate the aamFI in a multicenter hip fracture cohort and hypothesize that these risk scores would not only predict functional dependence (FD) at discharge, but that the aamFI would outperform the mFI-5 and mFI-11. MethodsThe Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation registry was queried from 2010 to 2020 for CPT codes, ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes pertaining to hip fracture patients. Patients with missing locomotion and transfer mobility data were excluded. FD status was determined by discharge locomotion and transfer mobility scores per existing methodology. Univariable and Multivariable analysis as well as receiver operator characteristic curves were used to evaluate and compare the three indices for prediction of functional status at discharge. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. ResultsTwelve thousand seven hundred and forty patients met inclusion criteria (FD: 8183; functional independent 4557). On univariable logistic regression analysis, the mFI-11 (odds ratio [OR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47-1.58, P < 0.05), mFI-5 (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.51-1.63), and aamFI (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.52-1.62, P < 0.05) were associated with FD. On multivariable logistic regression analysis for predictors of FD, when controlling for age (for the mFI-11 and mFI-5), sex, injury severity score, and admission vitals (systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate), higher mFI-11 and mFI-5 scores independently predicted FD at discharge (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.18-1.28, P < 0.05 and OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.18-1.29P < 0.05 respectively). Higher aaMFI scores had superior association with functional dependence (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.54-1.64, P < 0.05). Receiver operator characteristic curves for the mFI-11, mFI-5, and aaMFI showed comparable diagnostic strength (area under curve [AUC] = 0.63 95% CI 0.62-0.64, P < 0.05; AUC = 0.63 95% CI 0.62-0.64, P < 0.05; and AUC = 0.67 95% CI 0.65-0.67, P < 0.05 respectively). ConclusionsThe mFI-11, mFI-5, and aamFI are predictive of functional outcome following hip fracture. By including age, the aamFI retains the ease of use of the mFI-5 while improving its prognostic utility for functional outcome.

Prevalence of lameness on pasture-based New Zealand dairy farms: An observational study.

To understand the current impact of lameness on a system, it is important to define lameness prevalence across a range of dairy farms in that system. Prevalence estimates from dairy systems where cows are permanently managed at pasture are uncommon, although the limited data suggest that they have a lower lameness prevalence than housed cattle. One hundred and 20 farms from eight of the major dairying regions of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional lameness prevalence study. On each of the farms, trained observers lameness scored cattle on two occasions, between October-December (spring, coinciding with peak lactation for most farms) and between January-March (summer, late lactation for most farms). At each visit, all lactating animals were scored using a four-point 0-3 scoring system, and included animals that had previously been identified as lame by the farmer. Animals with a lameness score (LS) ≥2 were defined as lame. Mixed logistic regression models assessed the interaction between region and season and island and season, respectively, and differences between the lameness prevalence within farm across the two seasons reported descriptively. A total of 116,317 locomotion scores over two events were conducted across the 120 farms. At the spring scoring event, 2128/60,007 (3.5 %) cows had a LS ≥2 and 1868/56,310 (3.3 %) cows had a LS ≥2 at the summer scoring event. At the farm level, across both scoring events, median lameness prevalence was 2.8 (interquartile range 1.5 - 4.5) %, with a range of 0.0-17.0 %. The median farm-level prevalence of LS=3 was 0.5 % with a range of 0-4.6 %. The effect of timing of scoring was modified by region (p<0.001), and island (p=0.006) and at the individual farm level, differences between spring and summer farm level lameness prevalence were generally small (interquartile range: -1.8 to 1.0 %) but potentially large on individual farms (range from-12.3 % to 7.6 %). The median farm-level lameness prevalence estimate of 2.8 % across a random representative sample of New Zealand dairy farms give confidence that the overall prevalence of cattle lameness on New Zealand dairy farms is low. This adds to the growing evidence that pasture is a good management system with respect to hoof health. The evidence of strong seasonality of lameness was lacking. Instead of using lameness scoring to identify farms with large lameness problems, lameness scoring should be encouraged to farmers as a tool to improve the identification of lame animals.

Effect of electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B2) on senescence of nucleus pulposus cells of degenerated lumbar intervertebral disc in rabbits.

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Jiaji"(EX-B2) on body mass, motor function, expression of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus tissue, telomerase activi-ty, relative telomere length and different cell cycle ratio of nucleus pulposus cells in rabbits with intervertebral disc degeneration(IVDD), so as to investigate its mechanism underlying delaying senescence of the degenerated lumbar intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells. Twenty-five male New Zealand rabbits with mature bones were divided into control, sham operation, model, EA, and acupuncture groups, with 5 rabbits in each group. The IVDD model was established by inserting kirschner wires to the vertebral bone surface between the lumbar (L)4 and L5 vertebrae, followed by applying continuous axial pressure for 28 d. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA) or acupuncture (only insertion of acupuncture needles into bilateral EX-B2, but without electrical stimulation) was applied to bilateral EX-B2 for 20 min, once daily, 6 times a week for 4 weeks. The hindlimb locomotor function (locomotor score) was assessed by using Faden's and colleagues' methods. The general conditions of rabbits in each group were observed, and their body weight changes were measured every week. Nucleus pulposus cells were isolated using enzyme digestion method. After the treatment, the Cav-1 positive cell counts in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the telomerase activity of nucleus pulposus cells was detected by PCR-ELISA. The relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time qPCR), and the cell cycle of nucleus pulposus was detected by flow cytometry. Compared with the sham operation group, the body mass from 4 to 11 week, locomotor score at 4, 7 and 11 week, telomerase activity, relative telomere length and the proportion of cells in G2/M phase of nucleus pulposus cells were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while Cav-1 positive cell counts of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissue, and the proportion of nucleus pulposus cells in the G0/G1 phase considerably increased (P<0.01) in the model group. Relevant to the model group, the EA group rather than the acupuncture group had an increase in the body mass from 8 to 11 week, locomotor score at 11 week, telomerase activity, relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells, and the proportion of nucleus pulposus cells in G2/M phase (P<0.01), and a decrease in the Cav-1 positive cell counts of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissue and the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase (P<0.01). No significant differences were found between the model and acupuncture groups in all the indexes mentioned above. EA at EX-B2 has a bene-ficial effect in improving motor function in rabbits with IVDD, which may be related to its functions in reducing the expression of Cav-1 in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus, improving cycle arrest, enhancing the telomerase activity and the relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells, delaying the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells of the degenerated lumbar intervertebral discs.

Analysis of Dairy Cow Behavior during Milking Associated with Lameness

The detection of lame cows is a challenging and time-consuming issue for dairy farmers. Many farmers use the milking time to monitor the condition of their animals. Because lame cows often show increased stepping when standing to relieve pressure on aching claws, we investigated whether lame cows showed increased activity in the milking parlor. On 20 Swiss dairy farms, 647 cows were scored on lameness with a five-point locomotion score and categorized as clinical lame and non-lame cows in order to see if there are differences in behavior between these two groups (non-lame = scores 1 and 2; lame = scores 3, 4, and 5). During one evening milking, the behavior of the cows was analyzed. A three-dimensional accelerometer, attached to the milking cluster, detected the hind leg activity indirectly via the movements of the milking unit. Additionally, head movements, as well as weight shifting and the number of steps with the front legs, were analyzed from video recordings. Owing to a high percentage of false positive hind leg activities in some milkings measured by the sensor, only 60% of the collected data were evaluated for behavior (356 cows/milkings on 17 farms). Twenty-seven percent of the investigated cows were classified as lame. The lameness prevalence was increasing with increasing parity. Lame cows showed a higher hind leg activity during milking as well as a higher frequency of front steps and weight shifting events during their stay in the milking parlor than non-lame cows. No relation between the status of lameness and the number of head movements could be seen. Observation of increased stepping and weight shifting of individual animals during milking by the farmer could be used as an additional indicator to detect lame cows, but further investigations are required.

Prevalence and incidence rate of clinical lameness in three New Zealand dairy goat farms

ABSTRACT Clinical lameness has an impact on animal welfare and profitability in different livestock industries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence rate of clinical lameness within New Zealand dairy goat farms. Up to 3246 goats on three dairy goat farms were observed 4–5 times over one year. Data on locomotion scores and animal information were collected between June 2019 and June 2020. A 5-point (0–4) locomotion scoring scale was used, where scores 3 and 4 were classified as clinical lameness. The average herd-level prevalence of clinical lameness for farms A, B, and C were 23, 12, and 10%, respectively. The annual incidence rate of clinical lameness for farms A, B, and C were 104, 56, and 55 cases per 100 goat-years, respectively. Lameness appears to be a significant welfare issue, with incidence varying between farms and between goats. Investigating both farm-level and goat-level factors is required to understand the epidemiology of lameness and design evidence-based control and prevention measures. Further investigation should be undertaken to identify variables affecting the goat's odds of becoming clinically lame. This study sets the foundation for future study of lameness in commercial dairy goat farms nationally and internationally.

Associations of intrinsic capacity, fall risk and frailty in old inpatients.

This study explored the associations of intrinsic capacity (IC), fall risk, and frailty in geriatric inpatients. A total of 703 hospitalized patients aged 75 years or older were recruited for this retrospective observational study from Zhejiang Hospital using a comprehensive geriatric assessment. The IC composite score was constructed from the scores of the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Short Physical Performance Battery, Short Form Mini Nutritional Assessment, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and self-reported hearing and vision impairment. Adverse outcomes were recorded as the fall risk and frailty using the Morse Fall Scale and the Clinical Frailty Scale. Spearman's correlation coefficient analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the associations between IC, high fall risk, and frailty. Declined IC composite scores were associated with increased risks of falls [odds ratio (OR) = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-0.72] and frailty (OR = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.37-0.54) among older hospitalized patients after adjusting for the related potential confounders. In addition, decreased cognitive, vitality, locomotion, and psychological scores were associated with increased adverse health conditions, with ORs ranging from 0.26 to 0.70. Vision impairment was observed to increase the risk of frailty (OR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.23-0.76) after adjusting for the related potential confounders. This study indicated that declined IC was associated with fall risk and frailty in older inpatients. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the longitudinal associations between baseline IC and subsequent risk of falls and frailty.

Hind feet position score: A novel trait to genetically reduce lameness incidence

Lameness is an important health and welfare issue that causes considerable economic losses in dairy herds. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the hind feet position score (HFPS) can be used as an auxiliary trait for genetic evaluation of lameness. The HFPS is evaluated by visual scoring of the position of both the hind-digits to the mid-line of the cow's body. The higher the heel height of the lateral claw, the higher is the HFPS, and the higher is the risk for development of lameness. In total, 3,478 records from 1,064 Fleckvieh cows from 35 farms were obtained between September 1, 2021, and March 5, 2022. Data collection was carried out by the regional milk recording organizations. Hind feet position was scored visually by trained personnel during routine milk performance testing in the milking parlor using a 3-class scoring system: score 1 = 0° to <17° indicating a balanced heel height of both the medial and the lateral claw; score 2 = angle of 17° to 24°; score 3 = angle of >24°. After all cows had been milked, locomotion scoring was performed for each animal using a 5-class scoring system with locomotion scores ranging between 1 (normal) and 5 (severely lame). Using HFPS, sensitivity and specificity were 69.5% and 66.8%, respectively, for detecting lameness defined by locomotion score ≥2. For genetic analyses, a bivariate linear animal model was fitted with fixed effects of herd, parity, lactation stage, and classifier, and random effects of animal and permanent environment. Heritabilities for HFPS and locomotion score were 0.07 and 0.10, respectively, and the genetic correlation between the 2 traits studied was 0.80. These results suggest that the HFPS could be used for genetic evaluations to reduce lameness incidence in dairy cattle.

Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes of Rhesus Macaques Following Neonatal Exposure to Antiseizure Medications.

Exposure of neonatal macaques to the antiseizure medications phenobarbital and midazolam (PbM) causes widespread apoptotic death of neurons and oligodendrocytes. We studied behavior and neurocognitive performance in 12 to 24 month-old macaques treated as neonates with PbM. A total of 14 monkeys received phenobarbital and midazolam over 24 hours under normothermia (n = 8) or mild hypothermia (n = 6). Controls (n = 8) received no treatment. Animals underwent testing in the human intruder paradigm at ages 12 and 18 months, and a 3-step stimulus discrimination task at ages 12, 18, and 24 months. Animals treated with PbM displayed lower scores for environmental exploration, and higher scores for locomotion and vocalizations compared with controls. Combined PbM and hypothermia resulted in lower scores for aggression and vigilance at 12 months compared with controls and normothermic PbM animals. A mixed-effects generalized linear model was used to test for differences in neurocognitive performance between the control and PbM groups in the first step of the stimulus discrimination task battery (shape center baited to shape center non-baited). The odds of passing this step differed by group (p = 0.044). At any given age, the odds of passing for a control animal were 9.53-fold (95% CI 1.06-85) the odds for a PbM animal. There was also evidence suggesting a higher learning rate in the shape center non-baited for the control relative to the PbM group (Cox model HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.02-4.43; p = 0.044). These findings demonstrate that a 24-hour-long neonatal treatment with a clinically relevant combination of antiseizure medications can have long-lasting effects on behavior and cognition in nonhuman primates. ANN NEUROL 2023.

Neuroprotective potential of Marsilea quadrifolia Linn against monosodium glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in rats.

Background: Excitotoxicity is a condition in which neurons are damaged/injured by the over-activation of glutamate receptors. Excitotoxins play a crucial part in the progression of several neurological diseases. Marsilea quadrifolia Linn (M. quadrifolia) is a very popular aquatic medicinal plant that has been utilised for a variety of therapeutic benefits since ancient times. Its chemical composition is diverse and includes phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates and several others that possess antioxidant properties. Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective potential of M. quadrifolia against monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced excitotoxicity in rats. Methods: A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis of chloroform extract of M. quadrifolia (CEMQ) was conducted to identify the major constituents. Further, the in silico docking analysis was carried out on selected ligands. To confirm CEMQ's neuroprotective effects, the locomotor activity, non-spatial memory, and learning were assessed. Results and discussion: The present study confirmed that CMEQ contains quercetin and its derivatives in large. The in-silico findings indicated that quercetin has a better binding affinity (-7.9kcal/mol) towards the protein target 5EWJ. Animals treated with MSG had 1) a greater reduction in the locomotor score and impairment in memory and learning 2) a greater increase in the blood levels of calcium and sodium and 3) neuronal disorganization, along with cerebral edema and neuronal degeneration in the brain tissues as compared to normal control animals. The changes were however, significantly improved in animals which received standard drug memantine (20mg/kg) and CEMQ (200 and 400mg/kg) as compared to the negative control. It is plausible that the changes seen with CEMQ may be attributed to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonistic properties. Conclusion: Overall, this study indicated that M. quadrifolia ameliorated MSG-induced neurotoxicity. Future investigations are required to explore the neuroprotective mechanism of M. quadrifolia and its active constituents, which will provide exciting insights in the therapeutic management of neurological disorders.

Efficacy of quaternary ammonium salt-based disinfectant or chelated copper-zinc footbath solution in the treatment of digital dermatitis on one research dairy farm in Taiwan.

Footbaths can be used to manage digital dermatitis (DD), a common cause of lameness in dairy cattle. Copper sulfate and chelated copper-zinc (CZS) solutions in footbaths are potentially harmful to the environment. To determine if a quaternary ammonium salt-based disinfectant (QASD) footbath is as effective as a chelated CZS solution in controlling DD in dairy cows. Fifty-one lactating Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, with DD status based on the M-stage scoring system and locomotion score balanced between treatment groups. The groups were treated with a 1% QASD or a 2.5% chelated CZS. Footbaths were performed once per week for 15 weeks. Logistic regression was used to analyse clinical improvement. All cows received appropriate medical treatment for DD and other hoof diseases. Clinical improvement rates were 67% in the QASD group and 38% in the CZS group (p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds (95% confidence interval) for clinical improvement rate in the CZS group were 0.30 (0.095-0.948) times that of the QASD group (p = 0.04). The M0 score in the QASD and CZS groups increased significantly (p < 0.05) at the end of the 15 week study period. In the QASD group, the proportion of M2, M3 and M4 scores were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Over a 15 week period, QASD for footbathing was associated with a lower prevalence of active DD lesions than when using CZS.

A three-year comparison of once-a-day and twice-a-day milking in seasonal-calving pasture-based systems

Globally, the majority of dairy cows are milked twice a day (TAD); however, in pasture-based production systems, such as in Ireland, the idea of milking once a day (OAD) is being considered for reasons such as improved work-life balance. The immediate effects within a lactation, as well as the multilactation consequences of OAD, compared with TAD milking, require understanding. The objective of this randomized experiment was to compare OAD and TAD milking, over a 3-yr period, by examining the differences in milk production and composition, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), dry matter intake (DMI), udder characteristics, locomotion score, and milking time. Over the 3-yr period, 83 cows were enrolled in the experiment; 32, 44, and 48 cows in yr 1, 2, and 3 of the experiment, respectively. Each year, 23% of the herds were primiparous animals, while the remainder were second lactation or greater in parity. All cows were milked in the morning at 0700 h; only cows milked TAD were milked a second time each day at 1600 h. Cows rotationally grazed pastures for the duration of the lactating period and were housed during the nonlactating period. Milking cows OAD reduced cumulative milk yield by 26%, and milk solids yield (kg of fat + kg of protein) by 21%, across the 3 yr of the experiment when compared with cows milked TAD which produced 4,126 and 365 kg/cow, respectively. A contributory factor to the reduced production was a shorter lactation length (9.7 d) of the cows milked OAD compared with TAD (294 d). Milk fat percent of cows milked TAD was similar for all 3 yr of the study (5.05%), whereas milk fat percent of the cows milked OAD increased year on year, with each year being greater than the previous year (5.02%, 5.32%, and 5.70% for yr 1, 2, and 3; respectively). Milk protein percent was greater (+0.19%) for cows milked OAD compared with TAD which was 3.78%. Compared with cows milked TAD, total DMI for cows milked OAD was 22% less at the start of lactation (<167 d), but as the lactation progressed (>167 d) we observed no difference in DMI between treatments. Similar to the literature, milking cows OAD significantly increased average somatic cell score, both during (+16%) and at the end of lactation (+19%), compared with milking cows TAD which were 4.69 and 4.79, respectively. We detected positive aspects associated with OAD milking such as greater BW, BCS, and fertility performance. Milking OAD reduced both milking time per cow per day (reductions ranged from 34% in the first 4 mo of lactation to 43% during mo 5-9 of lactation) and milking time per liter of milk (-3.5 s/L) throughout lactation, leading to less labor inputs on-farm which can have positive implications for farmer work-life balance. The significant time saving and potential savings in costs (e.g., electricity) need to be considered in conjunction with the milk production reduction when considering OAD milking for the entire lactation.

Painted playgrounds for preschoolers’ physical activity and fundamental motor skill improvement: a randomized controlled pilot trial of effectiveness

BackgroundPreschool children are not meeting recommended levels of physical activity (PA) nor are they proficient in fundamental motor skills (FMS), which are the foundation for PA. As such, interventions are needed to increase PA and FMS in young children. This trial examined the effects of an environmental (“painted playgrounds”) and capacity-building (written toolkit) intervention on child FMS, PA, and sedentary behavior at early childhood education (ECE) centers and examined feasibility.MethodsIn a randomized controlled trial, four ECE centers were randomly assigned to an intervention group or wait-list control. For intervention centers, stencils were spray painted adjacent to playgrounds and teachers were provided material for using stencils for FMS practice. Follow-up assessments were conducted six to eight weeks after baseline. Time spent in PA and sedentary behavior was assessed via accelerometry and FMS were evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3) at baseline and follow-up. A repeated measures linear model was performed to test the effects of the painted playgrounds on the primary outcomes of interest. Feasibility was measured by stencil engagement via direct observation and satisfaction surveys.ResultsA total of 51 preschoolers completed baseline assessments (4.3±0.6 years; 43.1% male). There were no significant changes in PA or sedentary behavior (all confidence intervals contain 0) between control and intervention groups. Intervention children significantly improved ball skill, locomotor, and overall TGMD-3 percentile scores at follow-up (all (all confidence intervals contain 0), which was not observed in control group. However, there was no significant change in FMS between the control and intervention groups (confidence intervals contain 0). For stencil use, boys and girls interacted with different stencils during their free play. Directors and teachers reported children incorporated academic concepts and initiated games, and teachers prompted more PA opportunities on the playground.ConclusionsThis intervention did not show statistically significant changes in children’s PA, FMS, or sedentary behavior compared to a control group; however, small FMS improvements for the intervention group were found from baseline to follow-up. Further work should examine intervention fidelity as well as inexpensive supplies, teacher training, or other strategies to increase preschool children’s PA and improve FMS at ECE centers.

Investigating the effect of prophylactic claw trimming on the interval between calving and first observed elevated locomotion score in pasture-based dairy cows

ABSTRACT Aims To evaluate, in a pasture-based dairy herd, the response to a three-time point hoof trimming regime on lameness incidence and time from calving to observation of an elevated locomotion score (LS). Methods This study was conducted on a 940-cow spring-calving herd in New Zealand’s North Island between May 2018 and May 2019. Cows (n = 250) were randomly allocated to the hoof trimming group, with the remainder assigned to the non-trim cohort. One trained professional hoof trimmer used the five-step Dutch method to trim the hind feet of the trimming group. Throughout the subsequent production season, the whole herd was locomotion-scored fortnightly using the 4-point (0–3) Dairy NZ lameness score. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to assess the univariable effect of trimming on the interval between calving and first LS of ≥ 2 and first LS ≥ 1. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to further evaluate the effect of trimming on time to elevated LS. Results Mean lameness (LS ≥ 2) prevalence was 2.6%, with 30% of cows having ≥ 4 observations during the study period when at least one LS was ≥ 2. For LS ≥ 1, mean prevalence was 40%, with 98.6% of cows having ≥ 4 observations during the study period when at least one LS was ≥ 1 during lactation. Hoof trimming had no apparent effect on the incidence of clinical lameness (LS ≥ 2) (trimmed vs. non-trimmed: 33.2% vs. 28.8%, respectively), but for LS ≥ 1, there was a small decrease in the incidence of LS ≥ 1 (trimmed vs. non-trimmed: 96.9% vs. 99.3%, respectively). The hazard of a cow having a first observed LS ≥ 2 in the control group was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.66–1.14) times that of the trimmed group; however, the hazard of a cow having a first LS ≥ 1 was 1.60 (95% CI = 1.37–1.88) times higher in the control than in the trimmed group. Conclusion and clinical relevance On this farm, prophylactic hoof trimming had no clinically relevant impact on the incidence of clinical lameness and was not associated with clinically beneficial reductions in time to first observed LS ≥ 2. This may be because claw horn imbalance was not pronounced on this farm, with 53% of cows needing no trim on either hind limb on the first trimming occasion. Further research on the response to prophylactic trimming in pasture-based dairy cattle is required.

Free-choice pasture access for dry cows: Effects on health, behavior, and milk production

Allowing dairy cattle to access pasture or outdoor areas is known to be beneficial for cows' welfare and is considered important by the general public. However, in confinement-based operations with high-yielding cows, pasture access may be difficult to implement, especially for lactating animals. Providing pasture access to heifers and dry cows seems a more feasible option for most farms. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of providing high-yielding dairy cows with free-choice pasture access during the dry period on their health, behavior, and milk production. Over the study period, a total of 78 Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments during the dry period (51 ± 8 d): housing with free-choice access to the pasture (PAST) or housing continuously without any access to the outdoors (CTRL). After calving, all cows from both treatments were mixed and housed continuously. To assess the effects of the treatment on cows' performance, all animals enrolled were monitored both before calving and during the first 100 d in milk of the following lactation. The behavior of all cows involved was monitored continuously during the whole observation period using collar-based sensors. All cows were inspected monthly to assess lameness, hock lesions, cleanliness, and body condition score. During the period after calving (0-100 d in milk), milk production and composition were also monitored. Results showed that free-choice pasture access affected cows' feeding behavior. Before calving, the animals in PAST spent more time feeding than in CTRL and, interestingly, this difference tended to persist for several weeks after calving. During the dry period, cows in PAST were cleaner than in CTRL but no differences in locomotion and body condition score were found between the 2 groups. Free-choice pasture access during the dry period also affected milk production during the following lactation. The cows that spent the dry period in PAST produced more milk than CTRL counterparts, particularly for the animals that calved during summer. In the current study we have found that providing free-choice pasture access during the dry period can positively affect the performance of dairy cattle and represents a desirable practice in confinement-based dairy production systems.

Effects of increased grazing intensity during the early and late grazing periods on the welfare of spring-calving, pasture-based dairy cows

The objective of this study was to identify potential effects of increased grazing intensity, characterized by differing pasture availability and stocking rate, on indicators of welfare during both early and late grazing periods. Seventy spring-calving, pasture-based Holstein-Friesian and cross-bred dairy cows, averaging 35 ± 16 d in milk on the first day of data collection, were assigned to 3 treatments (20-26 cows/treatment) representing a range in grazing intensity: LO (high pasture availability, 980 kg DM/ha opening cover, 2.75 cows/ha, 90:10% pasture:concentrate diet), MOD (medium pasture availability, 720 kg DM/ha opening cover, 2.75 cows/ha, 90:10% pasture:concentrate diet), and HI (low pasture availability, 570 kg DM/ha opening cover, 3.25 cows/ha, 80:20% pasture:concentrate diet); representative of current, best practice and proposed production levels respectively for this system. Welfare indicators were locomotion score, digital dermatitis and white line disease, rumen fill, ocular and nasal discharge, integument damage to the neck-back and hock regions, and lying time. Data were collected during a 5-wk early grazing period in spring (EG) and a 7-wk late grazing period in autumn (LG). Average daily lying time was recorded for 8 to 10 focal cows per treatment. Results demonstrated only minor treatment effects. Cows on MOD [odds ratio (OR) = 3.11] and HI (OR = 1.95) were more likely to display nasal discharge compared with LO. Cows on MOD tended to have more damage to the skin on the neck-back region than LO (OR = 4.26). Total locomotion score (maximum = 25) was greater on LOW (7.1 ± 0.20) compared with HI (6.5 ± 0.19). Average lame cow prevalence for EG and LG respectively was 15.3 ± 3.12% and 39.2 ± 3.00% (LO), 20.0 ± 2.58% and 24.2 ± 5.69% (MOD), and 14.9 ± 4.79% and 17.0 ± 3.44% (HI). Cows on HI were less likely to have impaired walking speed than either LO (OR = 0.24) or MOD (OR = 0.29). Cows on both HI (OR = 0.36) and MOD (OR = 0.40) were less likely to display impaired abduction or adduction compared with those on LO. An interaction between treatment and period revealed longer lying times for cows on LO (10.6 h/d ± 0.39) compared with both MOD and HI (8.7 ± 0.43 and 8.4 ± 0.41 h/d) during EG only. The greatest effects were across grazing periods, with all indicators except rumen fill and locomotion score demonstrating improvements from EG to LG. This suggests cows were able to cope well with increasing levels of grazing intensity, and that regardless of treatment, a greater number of days on pasture led to improvements in welfare indicators.