Understanding and Preventing Dairy Cattle Lameness
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Lameness is the number one animal welfare issue and third largest economic problem for the dairy industry, causing premature culling, reduced production and reproduction, and increased disease incidence. The most common infectious hoof disorders are digital dermatitis (hairy heel warts), heel erosion, interdigital dermatitis, and foot rot. Non-infectious lesions are caused by factors like inadequate trimming, poor stall and flooring design, limited exercise or lying time, and metabolic disorders. Preventing lameness requires regular hoof trimming, clean, dry facilities, adequate cow comfort, and prompt treatment of infections.
Understanding and Preventing Dairy Cattle Lameness
- 1. Understanding and Preventing Lameness Jeffrey Bewley, PhD, PAS
- 2. Lameness # 1 Animal Well-Being Issue in the Dairy Industry # 3 Economic Problem in the Dairy Industry (behind mastitis and reproductive failure) Premature Culling Reduced Production Reduced Estrus Detection Increased Incidence of Other Diseases Major Source of Producer Frustration
- 3. % of Culls by Culling Reason 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% NAHMS, 2007
- 5. Infectious Hoof Disorders Most common types Digital Dermatitis Heel Erosion Interdigital Dermatitis Foot Rot Risk Factors Wet conditions Poor foot hygiene Presence of infected animals in the herd Poor footbath management
- 6. Heel Erosion Zones Affected: 6 Common Signs: Severe erosion of heel in irregular pit-like depressions or “v” shaped grooves causing lameness Instability of the claw due to lost or damaged horn resulting in uneven weight bearing Heel becomes sore as erosion progresses
- 7. Interdigital Dermatitis Also called: Stable Rot, Scald Zones Affected: 0, 10 Common Signs: Discharge and destruction of skin between the claws Bulb horn clefts leading to contusion of the corium and ulceration
- 8. Foot Rot or Foul Also called: Interdigital Phlegmon, Interdigital Necrobacillosis Zones Affected: 9 Common Signs: Swelling of the entire foot (equally) including the dew claws Separation of digits, infection produces a noticeable foul odor Animals will likely have a fever
- 9. Digital Dermatitis Also called: Hairy Heel Warts, Mortellaro Disease Zones Affected: 9,10 Common Signs: Raw, bright-red or black circular growth above the heel bulbs, with edges forming a white opaque ring or hard, thin, hairy, wart-like growths or sores Affected cattle are reluctant to walk or lame
- 12. Hairy Heel Warts First reported in Italy in 1972 and in US in 1980 Epidemic proportions since 1994 Highly contagious Extremely painful May have an odor 85 to 90% of warts are on rear feet Herd prevalence > 50% of cows Only 50 to 60% of cows with warts exhibit lameness Changes in locomotion patterns create other hoof problems
- 13. % of Lameness Caused by Hairy Heel Warts 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 1996 2002 2007 NAHMS. 2007
- 14. Cost Per Digital Dermatitis Case=$132.96 $61.25 $56.18 $33.00 Milk Loss Decreased Fertility Treatment Cost Cha et al., 2010
- 15. What Causes Hairy Heel Warts? Likely bacterial Spirochete bacteria (Treponema phagedenis, Treponema vincentii and Treponema denticola, Treponema medium) At least two strains Other bacteria isolated (Fusobacterium spp., Campylobacter spp., Prevotella, spp.) Not a virus (it responds to antibiotics) Causative organism not present in manure within the cow Digital dermatitis not created by these organisms in the lab Needs constant moisture and low oxygen to occur
- 16. Conditions for Digital Dermatitis Spread Excessive standing in manure/wet conditions Infrequent scraping Overstocking Narrow alleys (manure buildup) Excessive standing times Inadequate bedding Automatic scrapers or flush systems Not cleaning hoof equipment between cows
- 17. Which Cows are More Susceptible? Dirty cows Early lactation Younger cows High production cows Summer Cows housed indoors rather than pasture Purchased cows Cows with shallow heels
- 18. Treatment Important to prevent spread Make sure hoof is cleaned Copper pastes or disinfectants Antibiotics (be careful with withdrawal) Local and systemic (Tetracycline and oxytetracycline) Footbaths (with veterinary permission) Spray in parlor Clean and wrap (remove bandages 3 days) Amputation
- 19. Vaccination Effectiveness may be limited Difficult because there may be multiple causes Immune aspects questioned Same cows get infections year after year But, other cows seem to never get infections Limited trial work shows a little promise
- 20. Management Prevention Scrape alleys and groom stalls at least twice daily Use enough bedding on stalls to keep them dry Allow some bedding to enter alley to reduce alley moisture Eliminate poorly drained areas where water pools Ventilate barns to minimize humidity/moisture Maximize lying times (good cow comfort) Minimize overstocking particularly for early lactation cows Treat clinical cases promptly Be cautious with cattle and equipment movement
- 21. Footbath Expectation Management Only help with hairy heel warts, foot rot, interdigital growths Useful for prevention NOT treatment Footbath/teat dip comparison Prevent spread of new infections Need other tools to treat Environment cleanliness, footbath frequency more important than chemical used Effects are not immediate
- 22. Challenges/Difficulties Getting cows to walk through the bath The first few days are hard, but they tend to learn Changing solutions frequently enough Inconvenient Too diluted-won’t work Too concentrated-may burn skin, weaken hooves, or make hooves brittle Cold weather Cost
- 23. Percentage of Operations by Use of Footbath NAHMS. 2007
- 24. Footbath Options Plastic bath Concrete bath Twin bath-may reduce chemical use Sponge rubber mats (timeliness of chemical release?) Automated options
- 25. Footbath of the Future (Nigel Cook) 10-12 feet long, 10 in. deep, 24 in wide, angled sidewalls(one removable)
- 26. Wisconsin Design Logic Probability of rear feet receiving at least 2 immersions 6 foot bath 53% 8 foot bath 84% 10 foot bath 96% • No data to demonstrate advantages to more immersions • Needed to change bath width and step-in height to make sure that chemical use didn’t increase • Cows coped well with increased depth, less waste • Narrower bath width required side-walls • Results in same amount of solution as old baths
- 27. Footbath Management Work best when feet are cleaned off in parlor Placed in exit lanes at least 2/3 down to prevent bottlenecking All four feet should be exposed to footbath solution Enter a clean, dry area after foot bath At least 5” deep, deeper the better Non-slip floor (but high ridges uncomfortable) Preferably not on a slope
- 28. Footbath Management Using it “every once in a while” may lead to outbreaks Options for “off days” Soap solution Remove the bath Don’t let them walk through manure Change solution every 150 to 200 cows No manure baths Really needs to be footbath for close-up cows
- 29. Use at least 3 successive days once per month
- 30. Wash Baths No Longer Recommended Do not keep treatment bath cleaner One immersion in water won’t have much cleaning effect Doesn’t stimulate more defecation in wash bath Wisconsin research showed more cows defecated in treatment bath (8.5%) than the wash bath (5.8%) May actually dilute treatment bath May loosen manure so it comes off in treatment bath More water in manure handling system 100 cow dairy with 50 gallon bath 5 days per week changing bath every 200 cows = 6,500 gallons of waste water per week
- 31. Winter Footbaths Formaldehyde does not work below 45° Drain bath completely between batches Add salt or glycerin to reduce freezing point Heated floors Bath in heated areas during winter Spray Dairy Herd Management, 2010
- 32. Footbath Solutions Cleaning agents (not used alone) Hand soap Rock salt Disinfectants Copper or zinc sulfate Formalin Quaternary ammonium or organic acid compounds Other commercial options May alternate between cleaning agents (1/3 of time) and disinfectants (2/3 of time) Antibiotics under veterinary direction only and only for a few days
- 33. Pros and Cons Formalin Cheap, environmentally friendly Carcinogen, irritant to cows and people Can burn heels, make them too brittle Easily overwhelmed by manure Copper Sulfate Effective Expensive, copper accumulations in soil Commercial options Some are very effective Research is often limited, can be expensive
- 35. Hoof Trimming Produce a balanced claw Removal of horny tissue from sole Re-establish proper shape of hoof Trimming stimulates growth of new, healthy tissue Extends longevity one full lactation on average
- 37. Non-Infectious Lesion Risk Factors Lack of claw trimming, infrequent claw trimming or improper claw trimming More than three hours per day spent standing in the holding area, stall area and/or excessive time locked in headlocks Poorly designed stalls creating discomfort Insufficient lying time
- 38. Non-Infectious Lesion Risk Factors Limited access to feed due to overstocking or insufficient feed bunk space Flooring conducive to excess horn wear Nutritional factors: Feeding excessive amounts of fermentable carbohydrates Lack of effective fiber TMR sorting Inconsistent feeding times Inadequate trace mineral status
- 39. Non-Infectious Lesion Risk Factors Post-calving metabolic disorders such as milk fever and ketosis Heat stress, resulting in lower rumen pH and cows spending more time standing Abrupt transition (nutrition and environment) from dry to lactation period
- 40. White Line Lesion Also called White Line Separation, White Line Disease Zones Affected: 1, 2, 3 Common Signs: In mild cases, a void occurs in the junction between the sole and the wall In severe cases, abscesses form, generally at the heel-sole-wall juncture (Zone 3)
- 41. Sole Ulcer Also Pododermatitis, Circumscripta, Rusterholz Disease Zones Affected: 4 Common Signs: Raw sore (horn erosive defect) occurring at sole- heel junction on inner side of outside hind claw Often occurs in both outside hide claws (when present)
- 42. Sole Hemorrhage Also Called Sole Bruising Zones Affected: 4, 5, 6 Common Signs: Slight to significant red (or blue) coloration of the sole Not to be confused with natural black pigmentation of claw horn
- 43. Toe Ulcer Also called: Toe Necrosis, Apicalis Necrotica Zones Affected: 1 Common Signs: Black mark, blood stain and/or rupture in white line or sole at the toe Caused by rotation of pedal bone within the claw pressing down on the sole or thin soles
- 44. Thin Sole Zones Affected: 4,5 Common Signs: Sole is thin and flexible when pressure is applied Caused by insufficient length of toe, excessive wear or over trimming Minimum claw length of 3 inches (7.5 cm) does not apply to heifers or animals that weigh less than 900 lb (400 kg)
- 45. Laminitis and Subacute Laminitis Can be the underlying cause of other diseases Ulcers White line disease Heel erosion The complex network of blood vessels between the claw and the claw horn are seriously damaged, which compromises the function of the horn-producing cells Laminitis can be subclinical, acute, or chronic, depending on the severity of the several causative variables
- 46. Vertical Fissure Also Called Sandcrack, Fissura Unglulae Longitudinalis Zones Affected: 7,8 Common Signs: Vertical split in front or side of claw Occurs primarily on outside front claws Often the most painful cause of lameness
- 47. Axial Fissure Also Called Axial Wall Fissure Zones Affected: 11, 12 Common Signs: Deep groove on interior surface of claw wall parallel to front claw surface Bleeding may indicate lesion presence Mild to severe lameness
- 48. Interdigital Hyperplasia Also called: Corn, Interdigital Fibroma, Interdigital Growth Zones Affected: 0 Common Signs: Rapid growth of skin and/or tissue between the digits, forming a firm mass Secondary infection likely with severe (large) lesion
- 49. Corkscrew Claw Zones Affected: 7 Common Signs: Rapid irregular growth of the claw with rotation Sole displaced inward and rear Causes difficulty walking
- 50. Horizontal Fissure or Hardship Groove Also called: Horizontal Wall Fissure, Fissura Ungulae Transversalis Zones Affected: 7,8 Common Signs: Claw wall parallel to the hairline cracks and eventually breaks off Caused by nutritional or metabolic stress
- 51. Questions Jeffrey Bewley, PhD, PAS jbewley@bovisync.com jbewley@cowfocused.com