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The Effect of Housing and Methionine Intake on Hoof Horn Hemorrhages in Primiparous Lactating Holstein Cows

¹ ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Center, Martyr Worthy, Hants, UK
² Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

Corresponding author: R. A. Laven, e-mail: r.laven{at}ed.sac.ac.uk.

This study investigated the effects of housing and nutrition on the development of hoof horn disease (as identified by the appearance of hoof horn hemorrhages) in primiparous lactating Holstein cows. The first objective was to investigate whether replacing butyl rubber mats in cubicles (free stalls) with thicker mattresses filled with chopped rubber would significantly reduce hoof horn hemorrhages, and if this reduction would so affect the level of hoof horn hemorrhages as to make it similar to that observed in primiparous cows in straw yards. The second objective was to investigate the effect of methionine supplementation for the first 13 wk of lactation on the development of such hemorrhages. This study confirmed that both sole and white line hemorrhages increase during early lactation in housed cows, although the pattern of development of white line hemorrhages is not identical to that of sole hemorrhages. Housing primiparous cows in straw yards after calving significantly reduced the development of hoof horn hemorrhages, but replacing cubicle mats with thicker mattresses had no significant effect. Providing 115% of calculated methionine requirements had no significant impact on the development of hoof horn hemorrhages.

Key Words: housing • methionine • hoof horn hemorrhages

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