Lameness and Claw Lesions of the Norwegian Red Dairy Cattle Housed in Free Stalls in Relation to Environment, Parity and Stage of Lactation

Approximately 88% of Norwegian dairy cattle are housed in tie stalls. Free stall housing for all dairy cattle will be implemented within 20 years. This means that the majority of existing stalls will be rebuilt in the near future. Fifty-seven free stall herds of the Norwegian Red breed were randomly selected and 1547 cows and 403 heifers were trimmed by 13 claw trimmers during the late winter and spring of 2002. The claw trimmers had been taught diagnosing and recording of claw lesions. Environment, management- and feeding routines were also recorded. Fifty-three herds had concrete slatted alleys while 4 had solid concrete. Thirty-five herds had concrete as a stall base, while 17 had rubber mats, 2 had wood and 3 had deep litter straw beds. The prevalence of lameness was 1.6% in hind claws. Models for lameness and claw lesions were designed to estimate the influence of different risk factors and to account for the cluster effects within herd and claw trimmer. Detected risk factors for lameness were: parity three and above and narrow cubicles; for heel horn erosions: lactation stage around 5–7 months after calving and solid concrete alleys; for haemorrhages of the white line: lactation stage around 3–5 months after calving and solid concrete alleys; for haemorrhages of the sole: parity one, lactation stage around 5–7 months after calving and short cubicles, for white line fissures: slatted concrete alleys; for asymmetrical claws: parities two and above and for corkscrewed claws: solid concrete alleys. The prevalence of lameness in heifers was low, however 29% had one or more claw lesions. Heifers that were housed in pens or free stalls had more heel-horn erosions, haemorrhages of the sole and white-line fissures than heifers in tie stalls. As new free stalls are being built, it is important to optimise the conditions for claw health.SammendragRundt 88% av norske mjølkekyr står oppstallet i båsfjøs. Det er vedtatt at alt storfe innen 20 år skal være oppstallet i løsdrift. Det betyr at de fleste eksisterende båsfjøs må bygges om eller at det må bygges nytt i nær framtid. Femtisju tilfeldig utvalgte løsdriftbesetninger med 1547 kyr og 403 kviger ble besøkt av 13 klauvskjærere på senvinteren og våren 2002. Klauvskjærerne hadde fått opplæring i praktisk klauvskjæring, diagnostisering og registrering av klauvlidelser. Informasjon om oppstallingsforhold, miljø, stell- og fôrings rutiner ble i tillegg registrert. Femtitre besetninger hadde betongsviller i gangarealet, mens 4 hadde heldekkende betong. Trettifem besetninger hadde betong i liggebåsen, mens 17 hadde gummimatter, 2 hadde tregolv og 3 hadde strøseng. Modeller for halthet og klauvlidelser ble laget for å estimere viktigheten av forskjellige risikofaktorer og for å ta hensyn til cluster-effekter innen besetning og innen klauvskjærer. De påviste risikofaktorene for halthet var: laktasjonsnummer 3 og over og smale liggebåser; for hornforråtnelse: laktasjonsstadium omkring 5-7 mnd etter kalving og heldekkende betong i gangarealet; for blødning i den hvite linje: laktasjonsstadium 3-5 mnd etter kalving og heldekkende betong i gangarealet; for blødning i sålen: laktasjonsnummer 1, laktasjonsstadium 4-6 mnd etter kalving og korte båser; for løsning i den hvite linje: spaltegolv i gangarealet; for skjeve klauver: aktasjonsnummer 2 og over og for korketrekkerklauv/ ombøyd vegg: heldekkende betong i gangarealet. Få kviger var halte, men 29% hadde én eller flere merknader til klauvhelsa på bakbein. Forekomsten av hornforråtnelse, blødninger i sålen og løsning i den hvite linjen var høyere hos kviger oppstallet i binge og i løsdrift enn hos kviger oppstallet på båsfjøs. Vi står overfor store utfordringer når det gjelder å gi best mulig betingelser for kyrs bein i nybygg og i eksisterende løsdriftfjøs.

[1]  O. Østerås,et al.  Prevalence of claw lesions in Norwegian dairy cattle housed in tie stalls and free stalls. , 2005, Preventive veterinary medicine.

[2]  William E. Jones,et al.  The Veterinary Clinics of North America , 2003 .

[3]  J. Shearer,et al.  Functional and corrective claw trimming. , 2001, The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice.

[4]  H. Kjæstad,et al.  Failure to Use Cubicles and Concentrate Dispenser by Heifers after Transfer from Rearing Accommodation to Milking Herd , 2001, Acta veterinaria Scandinavica.

[5]  C. Lischer,et al.  PATHOGENESIS OF SOLE LESIONS ATTRIBUTED TO LAMINITIS IN CATTLE , 2007 .

[6]  L. Alban.  Lameness in Danish dairy cows: frequency and possible risk factors , 1995 .

[7]  B. Beaver.  The Veterinary Clinics of North America , 1984 .

[8]  Y. Gröhn,et al.  Sole ulcers in dairy cattle: associations with season, cow characteristics, disease, and production. , 1991, Journal of dairy science.

[9]  J. E. Offer,et al.  Observations of lameness, hoof conformation and development of lesions in dairy cattle over four lactations , 2000, Veterinary Record.

[10]  P. Greenough,et al.  Predisposing factors of laminitis in cattle. , 1994, The British veterinary journal.

[11]  F. Manson,et al.  Epidemiology of lameness in dairy cattle: description and analysis of foot lesions , 1996, Veterinary Record.

[12]  S. Kempson,et al.  Claw lesions in dairy cattle: development of sole and white line haemorrhages during the first lactation. , 1997, Veterinary journal.

[13]  R. Laven,et al.  Hock injuries in cattle kept in straw yards or cubicles with rubber mats or mattresses , 2002, Veterinary Record.

[14]  F. Leonard,et al.  Effect of different housing conditions on behaviour and foot lesions in Friesian heifers , 1994, Veterinary Record.

[15]  J J Vermunt,et al.  Evaluation of subclinical laminitis in a dairy herd and observations on associated nutritional and management factors , 1991, Veterinary Record.

[16]  F. Leonard,et al.  Effect of overcrowding on claw health in first-calved Friesian heifers. , 1996, The British veterinary journal.

[17]  C. Bergsten,et al.  Sole Haemorrhages in Tied Heifers in Early Gestation as an Indicator of Laminitis: Effects of Diet and Flooring , 1996, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.

[18]  K. Lautenbach,et al.  Behaviour of first lactation and adult dairy cows while housed and at pasture and its relationship with sole lesions , 1993, Veterinary Record.

[19]  E N Noordhuizen-Stassen,et al.  Prevalence of claw disorders in Dutch dairy cows exposed to several floor systems. , 2003, Journal of dairy science.

[20]  H. Wierenga,et al.  Cattle housing systems, lameness and behaviour , 1987 .

[21]  L. Alban,et al.  Lameness in tied Danish dairy cattle: the possible influence of housing systems, management, milk yield, and prior incidents of lameness , 1996 .

[22]  C. Bergsten,et al.  Sole Haemorrhages in Tied Primiparous Cows as an Indicator of Periparturient Laminitis: Effects of Diet, Flooring and Season , 1996, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.

[23]  R. Shanks,et al.  Evaluation of fixed factors affecting hoof health , 1995 .

[24]  C. Bergsten.  Haemorrhages of the Sole Horn of Dairy Cows as a Retrospective Indicator of Laminitis: An Epidemiological Study , 1994, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.

[25]  P. Scott.  Lameness in dairy cattle. , 1996, The British veterinary journal.

[26]  R. Laven,et al.  Effect of concentrate composition and cubicle bedding on the development of hoof haemorrhages in Holstein heifers after calving , 2003, Veterinary Record.

[27]  C. Bergsten,et al.  Sole Haemorrhages and Heel Horn Erosion in Dairy Cows: The Influence of Housing System on their Prevalence and Severity , 1996, Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica.

[28]  P. Greenough,et al.  Sole haemorrhages in dairy heifers managed under different underfoot and environmental conditions. , 1996, The British veterinary journal.

[29]  F. Lescourret,et al.  Environmental factors associated with lameness in dairy cattle , 1989 .

[30]  H. Erb,et al.  Effects of alley and stall surfaces on indices of claw and leg health in dairy cattle housed in a free-stall barn. , 2001, Journal of dairy science.

[31]  S. May,et al.  The effect of diet and housing on the development of sole haemorrhages, white line haemorrhages and heel erosions in Holstein heifers , 1998 .

[32]  C. Bergsten.  Effects of conformation and management system on hoof and leg diseases and lameness in dairy cows. , 2001, The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice.

[33]  Y. Gröhn,et al.  Heel erosion and other interdigital disorders in dairy cows: associations with season, cow characteristics, disease, and production. , 1991, Journal of dairy science.

[34]  F. Manson,et al.  Incidence and prevalence of lameness in dairy cattle , 1996, Veterinary Record.

[35]  A. Webster.  Effects of housing practices on the development of foot lesions in dairy heifers in early lactation , 2002, Veterinary Record.

[36]  F. Bugnard,et al.  Risk factors of dairy cow lameness associated with housing conditions. , 1994, Veterinary research.

[37]  R. Robinson,et al.  Prevalence and severity of lameness in lactating dairy cows in a sample of Minnesota and Wisconsin herds. , 1993, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

[38]  Stockwell,et al.  An evaluation of mattresses and mats in two dairy units. , 2000, Applied animal behaviour science.

[39]  R D Murray,et al.  Epidemiology of lameness in dairy cattle: the influence of cubicles and indoor and outdoor walking surfaces , 1996, Veterinary Record.