Veterinary Archives, Vol. 92 No. 1, 2022.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24099/vet.arhiv.1048
Critical points assessment of hoof lesion manifestation in dairy cows: a preliminary study of a new scoring system
Luca Turini
; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy / Centro di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali “E. Avanzi”, University of Pisa, Italy
Alessio Madrigali
; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy
Micaela Sgorbini
; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy / Centro di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali “E. Avanzi”, University of Pisa, Italy
Chiara Orsetti
; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy
Awad Rizk
; Department of Surgery, Anesthesiology and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt
Francesca Bonelli
; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy / Centro di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali “E. Avanzi”, University of Pisa, Italy
Abstract
Lameness is a serious animal welfare and production issue in the modern dairy herds. The development of a
scoring system that is able to categorize the farm on the basis of its hazard risk level may help clinicians and farmers to
identify potential issues and to reduce costs caused by lameness. The aim of this study was to develop an easy and fast
score for evaluation of the structural and managerial factors potentially involved in the pathogenesis of foot lesions,
and categorization of dairy farms. A total of six free-stall dairy farms were evaluated during a 3 month-period. The
score developed in this study was composed of evaluation of the housing system, flooring, the farm design, the use
of footbaths, the frequency of hoof trimming, and the continuing education of the employers. For each parameter, a
score of 0 to 2 was assigned where the score 0 meant the least appropriate condition, the score 2 represented the best.
The Farm Score showed a significant correlation with foot lesion prevalence (P = 0.0011, R2 0.94) and with the
theoretical assessment of additional cost per animal (P = 0.001, R2 0.95). The significant correlation between the
Farm Score, the foot lesion prevalence and the theoretical assessment of additional costs per animal may underline the
potential usefulness of the score designed in this study. The Farm Score may be considered as a cheap and fast way to
evaluate the hazard risk level for claw health on a dairy farm.
Keywords
dairy cow; hoof lesion; lameness; scoring system; structural and managerial factors
Hrčak ID:
274811
URI
Publication date:
24.3.2022.
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