Univariate associations between housing, management, and facility design factors and the prevalence of lameness lesions in fourteen small-scale dairy farms in Northeastern Algeria

Abstract

<jats:p>Background and Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the associations between different types of housing, management, and facilities on the prevalence of lame, causing lesions in smallholder dairy farms in Algeria. Materials and Methods: The on-site investigation took place between December 2012 and May 2015. All cows were locomotion scored on a four-point scale, and foot lesions causing lame were diagnosed and recorded. Factors related to the farm and the cows' conditions were also assessed. The association between the possible risk factors and lame lesions was assessed using univariate analysis. Results: Of the 349 cows evaluated, 13% were lame (lameness score ≥2), with higher lameness values recorded for the hind feet than for the forefeet. Cows without lameness were classified as healthy. The two most frequent lesion diagnoses observed in lame cows were interdigital dermatitis/heel horn erosion (ID/HE; 39%) and interdigital phlegmon (IP; 35%), followed by traumatic lesions (T; 11%), digital dermatitis (DD; 8.7%), and laminitis-related diseases (L; 6.5%). The risk of being lame was increased in large herds with cows of the Holstein breed, and those in the third parity and above. Tie housing, concrete floor, concentrate feeding, zero-grazing, and the use of foot trimming occasionally were associated with increased risk for the presence of lame lesions. The region and footbathing frequency had no association with the prevalence of lame lesions (p≥0.05). Conclusion: These results have important implications; they indicate that several aspects of housing, management, and facility design are common protective factors for the prevalence of lame lesions. These factors should be maintained correctly to not only reduce the number of lame cows in these herds but also decrease the direct and indirect costs associated with cases of lameness.</jats:p>

Impact of Nutrients on the Hoof Health in Cattle

“…Rajnbar et al [ 6 ] reported 18.9% (range 5% to 44.5%); in grazed dairy cattle, the prevalence is from 8 to 31% [ 34 ]. The study conducted by Dendani-Chadi et al [ 36 ] reported that the prevalence of lame cows was significantly associated with pasture, in non-grazing cows (35.4%), in partially grazing (16.4%), and grazing throughout the year (1.3%). Another study estimated that a total of 75% of cows in Europe are affected by hoof disorders [ 9 ].…”

“…It is mainly at the forefront, due to the increasing prevalence and because no other common dairy disease is associated with such visible symptoms of pain [ 9 , 27 , 60 , 64 ], which may be of a long-term nature. Thus, in addition to adverse effects on production, lameness is associated with pain [ 6 , 11 , 22 , 25 , 26 , 31 , 32 , 36 , 40 , 46 , 55 , 60 , 65 , 66 , 67 ] and anxiety [ 60 ]. In this case, the dairy cow cannot exhibit natural behavior [ 6 , 40 , 55 , 63 , 68 ].…”

“…Most of the factors that lead to the culling of dairy cows are related to health (mastitis, lameness, and reduced fertility) and low production [ 66 , 69 ]. Risk factors that considerably impact limb disease include management [ 1 , 9 , 14 , 38 , 41 , 62 , 70 , 71 ], which plays a significant role in the prevention of lameness, especially nutrition management, and the environment [ 1 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 14 , 22 , 25 , 27 , 30 , 35 , 36 , 41 , 58 , 61 , 62 , 71 ], genetics [ 4 , 8 , 14 , 62 , 71 ], and various breeding conditions and technologies [ 7 , 22 , 62 ].…”

“…In the current intensive production system, the feeding for cows includes a highly concentrated feed ration. Sudden changes in nutrition, especially an increase in easily hydrolysable carbohydrates and/or a decrease in the quality and amount of fiber in the feed, is usually the main cause of laminitis [ 6 , 9 , 15 , 19 , 26 , 35 , 36 , 40 , 81 , 92 , 93 , 95 , 99 , 100 ] and it is associated with dermatitis digitalis [ 15 ]. Farms on which heifers were fed a ration of maize silage had a higher locomotion score than those on which they were fed a ration without a proportion of maize silage [ 81 , 92 , 101 ].…”

“…Lameness of dairy cows is, along with mastitis and reproduction, the third most expensive disease to treat [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 15 , 16 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. The study by Kaniyamattam et al [ 39 ] reports lameness is second only to mastitis [ 39 ].…”