Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ndmmz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-02T06:39:26.664Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Diversity in the magnitude of hind limb unloading occurs with similar forms of lameness in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2011

Jianbo Liu ,
Robert M Dyer ,
Nagaraj K Neerchal ,
Uri Tasch  and
Parimal G Rajkondawar
Jianbo Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250
Robert M Dyer*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19717
Nagaraj K Neerchal
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250
Uri Tasch
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250
Parimal G Rajkondawar
Affiliation:
Bou-Matic, LLC 1919 S. Stoughton Rd, Madison, WI 53708
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: rdyer@udel.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship of veterinary clinical assessments of lameness to probability estimates of lameness predicted from vertical kinetic measures. We hypothesized that algorithm-derived probability estimates of lameness would accurately reflect vertical measures in lame limbs even though vertical changes may not inevitably occur in all lameness. Kinetic data were collected from sound (n=179) and unilaterally lame (n=167) dairy cattle with a 1-dimensional, parallel force plate system that registered vertical ground reaction force signatures of all four limbs as cows freely exited the milking parlour. Locomotion was scored for each hind limb using a 1–5 locomotion score system (1=sound, 5=severely lame). Pain response in the interdigital space was quantified with an algometer and pain response in the claw was quantified with a hoof tester fitted with a pressure gage. Lesions were assigned severity scores (1=minimal pathology to 5=severe pathology). Lameness diminished the magnitude of peak ground reaction forces, average ground reaction forces, Fourier transformed ground reaction forces, stance times and vertical impulses in the lame limbs of unilaterally lame cows. The only effect of lameness on the opposite sound limb was increased magnitude of stance times and vertical impulses in unilaterally lame cows. Symmetry measures of the peak ground reaction forces, average ground reaction forces, Fourier transformed ground reaction forces, stance times and vertical impulses between the left and right hind limbs were also affected in unilateral lameness. Paradoxically, limbs with clinically similar lesion and locomotion scores and pain responses were associated with a broad range of load-transfer off the limb. Substantial unloading and changes in the vertical limb variables occurred in some lameness while minimal unloading and changes in vertical limb variables occurred in other lameness. Corresponding probability estimates of lameness accurately reflected changes in the vertical parameters of limbs and generated low probability estimates of lameness when minimal unloading occurred. Failure to transfer load off limbs with pain reactions, locomotion abnormalities and lesions explained much of the limited sensitivity in lameness detection with vertical limb variables.

Keywords

Dairy cowforce platelamenessvertical kinetic variables
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 78 , Issue 2 , May 2011 , pp. 168 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bicalho, RC, Warnick, LD & Guard, CL 2008 Strategies to analyze milk losses caused by diseases with potential incidence throughout the lactation: a lameness example. Journal of Dairy Science 91 2653–2661CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bicalho, RC, Vokey, F, Erb, HN & Guard, CL 2007a Visual locomotion scoring in the first seventy days in milk: impact on pregnancy and survival. Journal of Dairy Science 90 4586–4591Google Scholar
Bicalho, RC, Cheong, SH, Cramer, G & Guard, CL 2007b Association between a visual and an automated locomotion score in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 90 3294–3300CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bockstahler, BA, Vobornik, A, Muller, M & Peham, C 2009 Compensatory load redistribution in naturally occurring osteoarthritis of the elbow joint and induced weight-bearing lameness of the forelimbs compared with clinically sound dogs. Veterinary Journal 180 202–212CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Booth, CJ, Warnick, LD, Gröhn, YT, Maizon, DO, Guard, CL & Janssen, D 2004 Effect of lameness on culling in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 87 4115–4122Google Scholar
Channon, AJ, Walker, AM, Pfau, T, Sheldon, IM & Wilson, AM 2009 Variability of Manson and Leaver locomotion scores assigned to dairy cows by different observers. Veterinary Record 164 388–392CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chapinal, N, de Passille, AM, Weary, D, von Kyserlingk, MAG & Rushen, J 2009 Using gait, walking speed and lying behavior to detect hoof lesions in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 92 4365–4374Google Scholar
Clayton, HM, Schamhardt, HC, Willemen, MA, Lanovaz, JI & Colborne, R 2000 Kinematics and ground reaction forces in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinitis. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61 191–196CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dyer, RM, Neerchal, NK, Tasch, U, Wu, Y, Dyer, P & Rajkondowar, PG 2007 Objective determination of claw pain and its relationship to limb locomotion score in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 90 4592–4602CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flower, FC, de Passille, AM, Weary, DM, Sanderson, DJ & Rushen, J 2007 Softer, higher friction flooring improves gait of cows with and without sole ulcers. Journal of Dairy Science 90 1235–1242CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flower, FC & Weary, DM 2006a Effect of hoof pathologies on subjective assessments of dairy cow gait. Journal of Dairy Science 89 139–146CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flower, FC, Sanderson, DJ & Weary, DM 2005 Hoof pathologies influence kinematic measures of dairy cow gait. Journal of Dairy Science 88 3166–3175CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flower, FC, Stevenson, DJ & Weary, DM 2006b Effects of milking on dairy cow gait. Journal of Dairy Science 89 2084–2089CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Green, LE, Hedges, VJ, Schukken, YH, Blowey, RW & Packington, AJ 2002 The impact of clinical lameness on the milk yield of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 85 2250–2256CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenough, PR, Weaver, AD, Broom, DM, Esselmont, RJ & Galindo, FA 1997 Basic Concepts of Bovine Lameness in Lameness in Cattle, 3rd Edition (Eds Greenough, PR & Weaver, AD) pp. 3–13. Philadelphia Pa, USA: WB Saunders Co.Google Scholar
Hosmer, DW & Lemeshaw, S 2000 Applied Logistic Regression. New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Google Scholar
Khatree, R & Naik, DN 1999 Applied Multivariate Statistics with SAS Software, Second Edition. SAS PublishingGoogle Scholar
Khumsap, S, Clayton, HM & Lanovaz, JL 2001 Effect of walking velocity on ground reaction force variables in the hind limb of clinically normal horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research 62 901–906CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, J, Neerchal, NK, Tasch, U, Dyer, RM & Rajkondawar, PG 2009 Enhancing the prediction accuracy of bovine lameness models through transformations of limb movement variables. Journal of Dairy Science 92 2539–2550CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Callaghan, KA, Cripps, PJ, Downham, PY & Murray, RD 2003 Subjective and objective assessment of pain and discomfort due to lameness in dairy cattle. Animal Welfare 12 605–610CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NRC 2001 Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 7th Edition Washington DC, USA: National Academy of SciencesGoogle Scholar
Pastell, M, Hanninen, L, de Passille, AM & Rushen, J 2010 Measures of weight distribution of dairy cows to detect lameness and the presence of hoof lesions. Journal of Dairy Science 93 9543–9560CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pastell, M, Takko, H, Grohn, H, Hautala, M, Poikalainen, V, Praks, J, Veermae, I, Kujala, M & Ahokas, J 2006 Assessing cows' welfare: Weighing the cow in a milking robot. Biosystems Engineeering 93 81–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajkondawar, PG, Lefcourt, AM, Neerchal, NK, Dyer, RM, Varner, MA, Erez, B & Tasch, U 2002 The development of an objective lameness scoring system for dairy herds: pilot study. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineering 45 1123–1125CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajkondawar, PG, Lui, M, Dyer, RM, Neerchal, NK, Tasch, U, Lefcourt, AM, Erez, B & Varner, MA 2006 Comparison of models to identify lame cows based on gait and lesion scores, and limb movement variables. Journal of Dairy Science 89 4267–4275CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SAS Institute 2004 SAS/STAT 9.1 User's Guide. Cary NC, USA: SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
Scott, GB 1988 Studies of the gait of Friesian heifer cattle. Veterinary Record 123 245–248CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, GB 1989 Changes in limb loading with lameness for a number of Friesian cattle. British Veterinary Journal 145 22–38CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sogstad, AM, Osteras, O & Fjeldaas, T 2006 Bovine claw and limb disorders related to reproductive performance and production diseases. Journal of Dairy Science 89 2519–2528CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sprecher, DJ, Hosteler, DE & Kaneene, JB 1997 A lameness scoring system that uses posture and gait to predict dairy cattle reproductive performance. Theriogenology 47 1179–1187Google Scholar
USDA 2008 Dairy 2007 Part II: Changes in the U.S. Dairy Cattle Industry, 1991–2007, USDA-APHIS-VS, CEAH. Fort Collins CO, USA. #N481.0308 pp. 75–78Google Scholar
van Amstel, SR, Shearer, JK & Haines, DK 2000 Maintenance claw trimming in cattle with special emphasis on the Dutch method. Bovine Practitioner 33 13–20Google Scholar
van der Tol, PPJ, Metz, JHM, Noordhuizen-Stassen, EN, Back, W, Braam, CR & Weijs, WA 2003 The vertical ground reaction force and the pressure distribution on the claws of dairy claws while walking on a flat substrate. Journal of Dairy Science 86 2875–2883CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weishaupt, MA, Wiestner, T, Hermann, PH, Jordan, P & Auer, JA 2006 Compensatory load redistribution of horses with induced weight-bearing forelimb lameness trotting on a treadmill. Veterinary Journal 171 135–146CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wells, SJ, Trent, AM, Marsh, WE & Robinson, RA 1993 Prevalence and severity of lameness in lactating dairy cows in a sample of Minnesota and Wisconsin herds. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 202 78–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whay, HR, Main, DCJ, Green, LE & Webster, AJF 2003 Assessment of the welfare of dairy cattle using animal-based measurements: direct observations and investigation of farm records. Veterinary Record 153 197–202CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed