Lameness overview/intro Flashcards
Importance of lameness to bovine industry, lameness in other farmed species, anatomy revision
What is lameness an indicator of?
- pain
What is the most common anatomical site for lameness in farmed species?
- the foot
Is lameness of foot origin common in cattle and sheep?
- yes
Is control of lameness important at herd or individual level in farmed species?
- both
- but particularly herd level
Frequency of more proximal (than the foot) causes of lameness
- sporadic cases affecting individual animals (with a few exceptions)
Distal phalanx (P3)
- positioned centrally within hoof capsule
- DDFT inserts on caudal prominence
- attached by collagen attachments to the hoof wall
Sole corium
- fills space between pedal bone and hoof capsule
- blood vessels, nerves and other support structures
- stratum germinative - produces sole horn
- damage to sole chorion -> 6-8w will see damage as a sole ulcer
Large digital cushion inside the hoof
= digital fat pad
- pad of fat and elastic tissue
- dissipates force and transfers load to the wall during foot strike and limb loading
- very important
- if the digital cushion is reduced the distal phalanx can cause pinching and pressure lesions to the sole
How common is lameness in cattle?
- ~22% for dairy cows
Is lameness a significant welfare concern?
- yes
- painful
- large numbers affected
How much does bovine lameness cost?
- average cost (all cows) = £3.30/cow/day
- severe lameness (score 3) = £6.80/cow/day
- moderate lameness (score 2) = £2.25/cow/day
- average cost per herd = £42,398/year (assuming prevalence doesn’t change)
What contributes to the high cost of bovine lameness?
- reduced milk yield (24%)
- reduced fertility (39%)
- culling costs (24%)
- vet costs (1%)
- treatment costs (10%)
- labour costs (2%)
Types of bovine lameness
- claw horn lesions (sole ulcers, sole haemorrhage)
- white line dz
- infectious lesions (digital dermatitis, foul in the foot)
Claw horn disruption lesions
- claw horn lesions
- white line dz
Reduction in milk yield
- DD doesn’t seem to have any effect on milk yield
- WLD has a mild effect
- sole ulcers are the biggest offenders/cause of reduction in milk yield
Is lameness common in sheep?
- yes
- estimated to be ~4.9% (2015)
How much does ovine lameness cost?
- average cost ~£3.90-£6.35/ewe
- foot rot alone thought to cost national sheep flock £20-80 million/year
Most common causes of ovine lameness
- footrot: ~70% lameness cases, present in >95% UK sheep flocks
- contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD): ~35% lameness cases, ~50% flocks affected
Other common causes of ovine lameness
- scald: early presentation of footrot
- toe granuloma
- toe abscess
- shelly hoof: outside hoof capsule becomes loose and wobbly
5 point plan to reduce lameness in sheep
- cull (those frequently affected)
- avoid (buying in sheep affected by these conditions
- treat
- quarantine
- vaccinate
why lameness prevalence in sheep has dropped, also sheep lesions tend to be infectious, whereas in cows they are not.
