Assessment of observer performance in a subjective scoring system: visual classification of the gait of cows

Engel, Benjamin; Bruin, Gerrit de; Grüning, André; Buist, W.G.

doi:10.1017/s0021859603002983

Cited by 48 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In order to reduce memory effects, we manipulated one of the repeats (Engel et al, 2003) by mirroring the videos horizontally. However, to verify the potential effect of mirroring on intra-OR, we also presented each video for a third time, again in its original format.…”

Section: Ethics Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of the inter- and intra-observer repeatability of three gait-scoring scales for sows

Nalon

Maes

Dongen³

et al. 2014

Animal

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Most gait-scoring scales for pigs have a limited number of categories, supposedly to improve repeatability. However, reducing the number of categories could lead to loss of information if the observers' discriminative capacities are underused. With a recently estimated withinherd prevalence of sow lameness of 8.8% to 16.9% in the European Union and the associated losses, the availability of reliable tools for the timely detection of initial cases warrants attention. This study investigated the intra-and inter-observer repeatability (intra-OR and inter-OR) of three gait-scoring scales for sows: a continuous 'tagged' visual analogue scale (tVAS, measured in mm), a 5-point and a 2-point ordinal scale (5P and 2P), all with the same descriptors. Veterinary medicine students (n = 108) were trained to use the scales and then asked to score 90 videos (30 per scale) of sows with normal and abnormal gait. Thirty-six videos were shown once and 18 were randomly shown three times, of which one mirrored horizontally. The students' opinions on the scales were also collected. Intra-and inter-OR were higher with the tVAS than the 2P scale (inter-OR: 0.73 v. 0.60; P < 0.05. Intra-OR: 0.80 v. 0.67; P < 0.05). Intra-OR was higher with the 5P (0.81) than the 2P scale (0.67; P < 0.05). For all three scales, repeatabilities were lower ( P < 0.05) for non-lame sows (gait score of ⩽45 mm on the tVAS) than for sows showing some signs of lameness (gait score > 45 mm). Video order (first 45 v. last 45 clips), mirroring, users' opinions on the scales, and previous declared experience in handling pigs or scoring lameness in other species had no effect on repeatabilities. Correlations between the students' and experts' scores were high (tVAS = 0.92; 5P = 0.91; 2P = 0.88) but the association for the 2P was not linear and the frequency distribution showed lower correlations for a group of students. This study confirms recent evidence that it is possible to design high-resolution gait-scoring scales that do not reduce observer repeatability. Visual gait-scoring scales with fewer than five categories are likely to entail loss of information on lameness in individual sows.

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Section: Ethics Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of the inter- and intra-observer repeatability of three gait-scoring scales for sows

Nalon

Maes

Dongen³

et al. 2014

Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The degree of lameness is described using a validated clinical gait-scoring system (Sprecher et al, 1997;Flower and Weary, 2006), this being a subjective method for assessing lameness. However, locomotion scoring requires observer training and may not be sensitive enough to detect slight gait alterations (Engel et al, 2003;Tadich et al, 2010). The difficulties in evaluating the stride and postural characteristics as well as the reproducibility of scoring mildly lame cows are most challenging (Engel et al, 2003;Holzhauer et al, 2005;Flower and Weary, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, locomotion scoring requires observer training and may not be sensitive enough to detect slight gait alterations (Engel et al, 2003;Tadich et al, 2010). The difficulties in evaluating the stride and postural characteristics as well as the reproducibility of scoring mildly lame cows are most challenging (Engel et al, 2003;Holzhauer et al, 2005;Flower and Weary, 2006). In addition, cows showing impaired locomotion may not always express all traits described by a certain locomotion-scoring method (Schlageter-Tello et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cow pedogram—Analysis of gait cycle variables allows the detection of lameness and foot pathologies

Alsaaod

Luternauer

Hausegger

et al. 2017

Journal of Dairy Science

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Changes in gait characteristics are important indicators in assessing the health and welfare of cattle. The aim of this study was to detect unilateral hind limb lameness and foot pathologies in dairy cows using 2 high-frequency accelerometers (400 Hz). The extracted gait cycle variables included temporal events (kinematic outcome = gait cycle, stance phase, and swing phase duration) and several peaks (kinetic outcome = foot load, toe-off). The study consisted of 2 independent experiments. Experiment 1 was carried out to compare the pedogram variables between the lateral claw and respective metatarsus (MT; n = 12) in sound cows (numerical rating system <3, n = 12) and the differences of pedogram variables across limbs within cows between lame cows (numerical rating system ≥3, n = 5) and sound cows (n = 12) using pedogram data that were visually compared with the synchronized cinematographic data. Experiment 2 was carried out to determine the differences across limbs within cows between cows with foot lesions (n = 12) and without foot lesions (n = 12) using only pedogram data. A receiver operator characteristic analysis was used to determine the performance of selected pedogram variables at the cow level. The pedogram of the lateral claw of sound cows revealed similarities of temporal events (gait cycle duration, stance and swing phases) but higher peaks (toe-off and foot load) as compared with the pedogram of the respective MT. In both experiments, comparison of the values between groups showed significantly higher values in lame cows and cows with foot lesions for all gait cycle variables. The optimal cutoff value of the relative stance phase duration for identifying lame cows was 14.79% and for cows with foot lesions was 2.53% with (both 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity) in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The use of accelerometers with a high sampling rate (400 Hz) at the level of the MT is a promising tool to indirectly measure the kinematic variables of the lateral claw and to detect unilateral hind limb lameness and hind limb pathologies in dairy cows and is highly accurate.

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“…The left-right differences of the stance-and swing-phase durations tended to decrease after claw trimming when cows walked on asphalt floor. Many studies reported that foot pathologies at certain stages (slight to moderate degree) do not affect the gait score of cows (Engel et al, 2003;Tadich et al, 2010). Furthermore, we excluded lame cows from the analysis, as a previous study showed that lame cows have different walking patterns on different floor types (Flower et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotion characteristics of dairy cows walking on pasture and the effect of artificial flooring systems on locomotion comfort

Alsaaod

Huber

Beer

et al. 2017

Journal of Dairy Science

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The locomotion comfort of dairy cows depends on the floor of the walking alleys. Optimal locomotion comfort is given when cows walk on pasture, allowing freedom from discomfort and pain and the expression of normal behavior. This study examined the characteristics of locomotion behavior on pasture (gold standard with optimal locomotion comfort) and compared it with behaviors of cows walking on mastic asphalt or solid rubber mats before and after a routine claw trimming session. Our hypotheses were (1) that gait variables were different on pasture versus mastic asphalt and on mastic asphalt versus rubber, and (2) that claw trimming had an effect on gait variables of cows walking on mastic asphalt. Twenty-four dairy cows kept in a tiestall facility were enrolled in this experimental trial. The pedogram was measured using 2 standalone 3-dimensional accelerometers (400 Hz), attached to the metatarsus of both hind limbs. The extracted pedogram variables included temporal events (kinematic outcome = gait cycle and stance-phase and swing-phase durations) and peaks (kinetic outcome = foot load, toe-off). The cows were further video-recorded to calculate walking speed and stride length. Locomotion score was performed on mastic asphalt to enroll only nonlame cows (locomotion score <3). For comparison between different floor types, repeated-measures ANOVA was performed with the cow as a subject variable, session time of measurement as within-subject variable, and flooring type as a fixed effect. Three separate analyses were performed: pasture versus mastic asphalt (analysis I), solid rubber versus mastic asphalt (analysis II), and the effect of claw trimming on the kinematic and kinetic variables on mastic asphalt (analysis III). All tested gait variables were significantly different between pasture and mastic asphalt floor. The optimal characteristics of locomotion comfort on pasture included shorter duration of gait cycle, longer stance-phase duration, shorter swing-phase duration, higher walking speed, longer stride length, and higher peaks of foot load and toe-off. However, gait variables of cows walking on rubber mats did not show any significant difference compared with the mastic asphalt floor; only stride length tended to be longer on rubber mats. In addition, the stance-and swing-phase durations significantly improved shortly after trimming. The left-right differences of the stanceand swing-phase durations tended to decrease after claw trimming when cows walked on asphalt floor. The results of this study show that solid rubber flooring does not result in significant improvement of the evaluated variables of locomotion comfort compared with mastic asphalt.

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Assessment of observer performance in a subjective scoring system: visual classification of the gait of cows

Cited by 48 publications

References 16 publications

Comparison of the inter- and intra-observer repeatability of three gait-scoring scales for sows

Comparison of the inter- and intra-observer repeatability of three gait-scoring scales for sows

The cow pedogram—Analysis of gait cycle variables allows the detection of lameness and foot pathologies

Locomotion characteristics of dairy cows walking on pasture and the effect of artificial flooring systems on locomotion comfort

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