Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T12:09:45.414Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Early detection of lameness in heifers with hairy heel warts using a pressure plate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

PE Almeida ,
DR Mullineaux ,
W Raphael ,
C Wickens  and
AJ Zanella
PE Almeida
Affiliation:
Animal Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
DR Mullineaux
Affiliation:
Department of Kinesiology and Health promotion, College of Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, USA
W Raphael
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
C Wickens
Affiliation:
Animal Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
AJ Zanella*
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences, Oslo, PO Box 1537 Dep 0033, Norway
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: adroaldo.zanella@veths.no
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Lameness is an indicator of pain and suffering, which has substantial animal welfare and economic impact on the dairy industry. Subjective locomotion scoring is unreliable for detecting mild cases of lameness in dairy herds. Undetected lameness can progress to a more serious and painful state with unfavourable prognosis. The aim of this study was to conduct an investigation on the use of a pressure plate for early detection of lameness in dairy heifers compared to a subjective visual scoring system. Seven heifers deemed sound, on the basis of a visual scoring system, were walked through a chute where a pressure plate was disguised on the floor. Claws were then inspected during trimming and revealed no lesions (n = 3) and hairy heel warts on at least one hind claw (n = 4). Peak vertical force (PVF) and right-left hind limb PVF symmetry were calculated. Sound heifers demonstrated significantly higher PVF and better right-left hind limb symmetry than those with hairy heel warts. Using a pressure plate, gait abnormalities from foot lesions that were undiagnosed using a subjective lameness scoring system, were detected. Early detection of lameness is vital to reduce dairy industry losses and to improve animal welfare.

Keywords

animal welfarebiomechanicscattlelamenesspain assessmentpressure plate
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 16 , Issue 2: Special Issue: Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level , May 2007 , pp. 135 - 137
Copyright
© 2007 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Booth, CJ, Warnick, LD, Grohn, YT, Maizon, DO, Guard, CL and Janssen, D 2004 Effect of lameness on culling in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 87(12): 4115–4122CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clayton, HM, Schamhardt, HC, Willemen, MA, Lanovaz, JL and Colborne, GR 2000 Kinematics and ground reaction forces in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinitis. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61(2): 191–196Google ScholarPubMed
Engel, B, Bruin, G, Andre, G and Buist, W 2003 Assessment of observer performance in a subjective scoring system: visual classification of the gait of cows. Journal of Agricultural Science 140: 317–333CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenough, PR and Weaver, AD 1997 Lameness in Cattle. WB Saunders: Philadelphia, USAGoogle Scholar
Herlin, AH and Drevemo, S 1997 Investigating locomotion of dairy cows by use of high speed cinematography. Equine Veterinary Journal 23: 106–109Google Scholar
Khumsap, S, Clayton, HM, Lanovaz, JL and Bouchey, M 2002 Effect of walking velocity on forelimb kinematics and kinetics. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 34: 325–329CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Logue, DN, McNulty, D and Nolan, AM 1998 Lameness in the dairy cow: pain and welfare. Veterinary Journal 156(1): 5–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Merkens, HW and Schamhardt, HC 1988 Evaluation of equine locomotion during different degrees of experimentally induced lameness. I: Lameness model and quantification of ground reaction force patterns of the limbs. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 6: 99–106Google Scholar
Merkens, HW, Schamhardt, HC, Hartman, W and Kersjes, AW 1988 The use of H(orse) index: a method of analyzing the ground reaction force patterns of lame and normal gaited horses at the walk. Equine Vet Journal 20: 29–36CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murray, RD, Downham, DY, Clarkson, MJ, Faull, WB, Hughes, JW, Manson, FJ, Merritt, JB, Russell, WB, Sutherst, JE and Ward, WR 1996 Epidemiology of lameness in dairy cattle: description and analysis of foot lesions. Vet Record 15: 586–591CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'Callaghan, KA, Cripps, PJ, Downham, DY and Murray, RD 2003 Subjective and objective assessment of pain and discomfort due to lameness in dairy cattle. Animal Welfare 12: 605–610CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajkondawar, PG, Tasch, U, Lefcourt, AM, Erez, B, Dyer, RM and Varner, MA 2002 A system for identifying lameness in dairy cattle. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 18: 87–96Google Scholar
Schamhardt, HC 1996 Quantitative analysis of equine locomotion. In: Ossenkopp, KP, Kavakiers, M and Sanberg, PR (eds) Measuring Movement and Locomotion: from Invertebrates to Humans. Springer-Verlag: Heidlberg, GermanyGoogle Scholar
Scott, GB 1988 Studies of the gait of Friesian heifer cattle. Vet Record 123: 245–248CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, GB 1989 Changes in limb loading with lameness for a number of Friesian cattle. British Vet Journal 145(1): 28–38CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sprecher, DJ, Hostetler, DE and Kaneene, JB 1997 A lameness scoring system that uses posture and gait to predict dairy cattle reproductive performance. Theriogen 47: 1179–1187CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tasch, U and Rajkondawar, PG 2004 The development of a SoftSeparatorTM for a lameness diagnosis system. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 44: 239–245CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Welsh, EM, Gettinby, G and Nolan, AM 1993 Comparison of a visual analogue scale and a numerical rating scale for assessment of lameness, using sheep as a model. American Journal of Vet Research 54(6): 976–983Google Scholar