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The effect of foot lesions on locomotion score and spine posture measured using computerised motion analysis in early lactation Holstein dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

N. Blackie ,
E.C.L Bleach ,
J.R Amory ,
C.R Nicholls  and
J.R Scaife
N. Blackie*
Affiliation:
Writtle college, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
E.C.L Bleach
Affiliation:
Writtle college, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
J.R Amory
Affiliation:
Writtle college, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
C.R Nicholls
Affiliation:
Writtle college, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
J.R Scaife
Affiliation:
Writtle college, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
*
Email:nicola.blackie@writtle.ac.uk
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Extract

Locomotion scoring is an important tool to detect dairy cow lameness. A number of locomotion scoring systems use the posture of the back to identify lame cows (score 3). For example Sprecher et al (1997) suggested the presence of an arched back standing and walking indicates lameness. Flower and Weary (2006) developed this system to score cows while walking where a score 3 cow has a more severely arched back than a score 2 cow. However to date no work has been published characterising the degree of arching of the spine observed in lame animals and its relationship with foot lesions. This is important in the early detection of lameness and could be incorporated into locomotion scoring systems to improve the objectivity. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of foot lesions on spine posture of Holstein dairy cows in early lactation by motion analysis.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2007 , April 2007 , pp. 100
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

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References

Flower, F.C. and Weary, D.M. 2006. Effect of Hoof Pathologies on Subjective Assessments of Dairy Cow Gait. Journal of Dairy Science. 89: (1), 139–146.Google Scholar
Sprecher, D.J., Hosteler, D.E. and Kaneene, J.B. 1997. A Lameness Scoring System that uses Posture and Gait to Predict Dairy Cattle Reproductive Performance. Theriogenology. 47: 1179–1187.Google Scholar