Prevalence of lameness in dairy cows: A literature review

From 2016 to 2020, the “PraeRi” study, conducted by three German veterinary universities, was aimed at enhancing animal health and welfare in dairy farms. With 765 dairy farms visited and 101,307 animals examined, this study provided a basis for improving animal health and welfare. The study population comprised three different regions representing a broad variety of characteristics. To ensure representative estimates, a sample size of 250 farms was determined for each region, employing a stratified sampling plan based on farm size. According to the information provided by the farmers, the most commonly occurring disease in their herds was mastitis without general disorder (14.2% to 16.3% of the herd—depending on the region). For most disorders, prevalence data were lowest for the region South compared with the two remaining regions. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for various target variables, and the results were communicated through individual reports and benchmarking flyers to participating farmers. The authors encountered challenges in management and communication due to the project’s size in terms of personnel, data, and farms examined. Harmonizing data management and hypothesis testing across all involved parties added complexity.

Section: Prevalence Estimationcontrasting

confidence: 63%

Application of Epidemiological Methods in a Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study in 765 German Dairy Herds—Lessons Learned

Merle,

Hoedemaker,

Knubben-Schweizer

et al. 2024

“…Due to production technology, lameness is currently one of the major health problems in dairy cattle herds all over the world. Numerous studies conducted by research centres around the world have shown that in nearly 4000 dairy cattle herds over the last 30 years, the average percentage of lameness with a degree of advancement above 3 (on a scale of 1–5) has ranged from 5.1% to 45%, reaching up to 88% within individual herds [ 7 ].…”

Section: The Problem Of Lameness In Cattle Around the World—economic ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lameness in Cattle—Etiopathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment

Urban-Chmiel,

Mudroň,

Abramowicz

et al. 2024

The aim of this review was to analyse the health problem of lameness in dairy cows by assessing the health and economic losses. This review also presents in detail the etiopathogenesis of lameness in dairy cattle and examples of its treatment and prevention. This work is based on a review of available publications. In selecting articles for the manuscript, the authors focused on issues observed in cattle herds during their clinical work. Lameness in dairy cattle is a serious health and economic problem around the world. Production losses result from reduced milk yield, reduced feed intake, reproductive disorders, treatment costs, and costs associated with early culling. A significant difficulty in the control and treatment of lameness is the multifactorial nature of the disease; causes may be individual or species-specific and may be associated with the environment, nutrition, or the presence of concomitant diseases. An important role is ascribed to infectious agents of both systemic and local infections, which can cause problems with movement in animals. It is also worth noting the long treatment process, which can last up to several months, thus significantly affecting yield and production. Given the high economic losses resulting from lameness in dairy cows, reaching even >40% (depending on the scale of production), there seems to be a need to implement extensive preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of limb infections in animals. The most important effective preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of limb diseases with symptoms of lameness are periodic hoof examinations and correction, nutritional control, and bathing with disinfectants. A clean and dry environment for cows should also be a priority.

“…Impaired mobility leads to reduced dry matter intake and fewer visits to the feed bunk [5]. In a recent review [4], a meta-analysis considering more than 100 papers was performed in order to identify the main risk factors associated with lameness occurrence; see also [6]. The key risk factors highlighted include claw overgrowth, the first 120 days in milk (DIM), and herd size.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging Accelerometer Data for Lameness Detection in Dairy Cows: A Longitudinal Study of Six Farms in Germany

Lavrova,

Choucair,

Palmini

et al. 2023

Lameness in dairy cows poses a significant challenge to improving animal well-being and optimizing economic efficiency in the dairy industry. To address this, employing automated animal surveillance for early lameness detection and prevention through activity sensors proves to be a promising strategy. In this study, we analyzed activity (accelerometer) data and additional cow-individual and farm-related data from a longitudinal study involving 4860 Holstein dairy cows on six farms in Germany during 2015–2016. We designed and investigated various statistical models and chose a logistic regression model with mixed effects capable of detecting lameness with a sensitivity of 77%. Our results demonstrate the potential of automated animal surveillance and hold the promise of significantly improving lameness detection approaches in dairy livestock.