| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
* Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108
University of Minnesota Extension Service, St. Cloud 56303
1 Corresponding author: miendres{at}umn.edu
A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of clinical lameness in high-producing Holstein cows housed in 50 freestall barns in Minnesota during summer. Locomotion and body condition scoring were performed on a total of 5,626 cows in 53 high-production groups. Cow records were collected from the nearest Dairy Herd Improvement Association test date, and herd characteristics were collected at the time of the visit. The mean prevalence of clinical lameness (proportion of cows with locomotion score 
3 on a 1-to-5 scale, where 1 = normal and 5 = severely lame), and its association with lactation number, month of lactation, body condition score, and type of stall surface were evaluated. The mean prevalence of clinical lameness was 24.6%, which was 3.1 times greater, on average, than the prevalence estimated by the herd managers on each farm. The prevalence of lameness in first-lactation cows was 12.8% and prevalence increased on average at a rate of 8 percentage units per lactation. There was no association between the mean prevalence of clinical lameness and month of lactation (for months 1 to 10). Underconditioned cows had a higher prevalence of clinical lameness than normal or overconditioned cows. The prevalence of lameness was lower in freestall herds with sand stalls (17.1%) than in freestall herds with mattress stall surfaces (27.9%). Data indicate that the best 10th percentile of dairy farms had a mean prevalence of lameness of 5.4% with only 1.47% of cows with locomotion score = 4 and no cows with locomotion score = 5.
Key Words: lameness prevalence • freestall • locomotion score
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  R. C. Chebel, F. Susca, and J. E. P. Santos Leptin Genotype Is Associated with Lactation Performance and Health of Holstein Cows J Dairy Sci, July 1, 2008; 91(7): 2893 - 2900. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. K. Fulwider, T. Grandin, B. E. Rollin, T. E. Engle, N. L. Dalsted, and W. D. Lamm Survey of Dairy Management Practices on One Hundred Thirteen North Central and Northeastern United States Dairies J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2008; 91(4): 1686 - 1692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Norring, E. Manninen, A. M. de Passille, J. Rushen, L. Munksgaard, and H. Saloniemi Effects of Sand and Straw Bedding on the Lying Behavior, Cleanliness, and Hoof and Hock Injuries of Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2008; 91(2): 570 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. T. Thomsen, L. Munksgaard, and F. A. Togersen Evaluation of a Lameness Scoring System for Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2008; 91(1): 119 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. C. Bicalho, F. Vokey, H. N. Erb, and C. L. Guard Visual Locomotion Scoring in the First Seventy Days in Milk: Impact on Pregnancy and Survival J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2007; 90(10): 4586 - 4591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. C. Bicalho, S. H. Cheong, G. Cramer, and C. L. Guard Association Between a Visual and an Automated Locomotion Score in Lactating Holstein Cows J Dairy Sci, July 1, 2007; 90(7): 3294 - 3300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. E. Barberg, M. I. Endres, J. A. Salfer, and J. K. Reneau Performance and Welfare of Dairy Cows in an Alternative Housing System in Minnesota J Dairy Sci, March 1, 2007; 90(3): 1575 - 1583. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. A. Espejo and M. I. Endres Herd-Level Risk Factors for Lameness in High-Producing Holstein Cows Housed in Freestall Barns J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2007; 90(1): 306 - 314. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
