Dairy Lameness Evaluation Flowchart
Dairy cow lameness is a large cost to producers due to loss of production, reduced reproductive performance, and direct treatment costs. Further, it is painful to the cow and often becomes a chronic disease. Reducing the level of lameness on a dairy must include an emphasis on prevention.
Prevention should be targeted toward the most common lameness causing diseases on that farm. Therefore, troubleshooting a lameness issue should start with identifying these diseases by evaluating hoof lesions. Once the underlying issue is identified, look for risk factors on the farm that are related to those lesions. Some factors that are important across all the causes of lameness include: hoof trimming technique; overall cow comfort; and nutrition.
Suggested goals for herd lameness prevalence are based on locomotion scoring. In most scoring systems cows may be considered mild to moderately lame if they walk with a short-stride gait, meaning one leg is moved faster than the others to reduce time spent on a sore side or a hind leg does not reach as far forward during stride on one side as the other. Cows are considered lame when weight bearing is clearly reduced on a limb, and severely lame if they are unable or barely able to bear weight on a limb. U.S. studies find an average of 20% of cows moderately to severely lame. Herds with low lameness prevalence have less than 10% of the herd moderately to severely lame and less than 5% of the herd lame or severely lame.
Hoof Lesion Recording Table
Identify and distinguish the five most common causes of lameness on the dairy – digital dermatitis (also known as hairy heel wart), sole ulcer, white line disease, toe ulcers/thin soles, and foot rot. Note other findings if applicable.
Hoof Trimming Assessment
Hoof trimming is usually the best time to evaluate hoof lesions and provides the opportunity to evaluate hoof trimming technique at the same time. Proper hoof trimming helps prevent hoof lesions by re-balancing hooves to create evenly distributed weight bearing. Improper hoof trimming may contribute to lesions by damaging key structures. Over-trimming the toe and sole can cause toe ulcers and thin soles. Over-trimming the white line can contribute to white line disease.
7.5 cm hoof length, measuring front surface of hoof from coronary band to toe after trimming.
Risk: <7.5 cm – too much toe removed leads to toe abscesses
Sole thickness measured at the trimmed surface of the toe 6 mm.
Risk: <6mm – too much sole removed leads to thin soles
After trimming, lay a flat object on the sole of the hoof across both claws at the toe, across both claws at the heel and along the outer edge from toe to heel. Is there space between the object and the hoof at any points? Sole should be trimmed flat at these areas to allow for even weight bearing. Note that the inner part of each claw may be modeled by the hoof trimmer creating a cup in the sole of this area, this is an acceptable and recommended practice.
Risk: Concave or sloped sole – creates uneven weight bearing leading to hoof damage
Measure toe angle, goal is 45-50 degrees for Holsteins, may be as low as 43 degrees in Jerseys.
Risk: <45 or <43 – low angle leads to improper weight bearing
Risk: >52 – high angle leads to improper weight bearing
The hoof wall is not removed to preserve the white line and the strong, weight bearing wall. The hoof wall and white line extend along the outer side of the claw and the front one-third of the inner side of the claw.
Risk: Removal of wall/white line between the toes (the front one-third of the inner surface of the claws) – Trimming the white line can cause white line disease
Risk: Removal of wall/white line by trimming the outer walls of the claw – Trimming the white line can cause white line disease
Hoof lesions are appropriately identified and added to the cow’s health record to be used for management decisions.
Risk: No records – Unable to identify problems or track progress
Risk: Underlying disease not identified (e.g., “abscess” vs “white line disease” or “sole ulcer” - Unable to accurately identify problems or track progress
Digital Dermatitis lesions are treated topically.
Risk: No individual topical treatment for DD – Lesions may continue to cause pain, be contagious, and become chronic
Risk: Treatment includes bandages left on for longer than one day – Bandages left on for more than one day can create wet, dirty conditions at the hoof skin
Lame cows are promptly identified in the herd and presented for therapeutic trimming (removal of dead and damaged tissue, application of hoof block on opposite claw).
Risk: Lame cows wait >1 week to be hoof trimmed – greater risk of chronic damage without prompt treatment
Risk: No therapeutic trimming –chronic damage and delayed healing
Cows are hoof trimmed one to two times per lactation. There is evidence that two trims per lactation prevents lameness better than one trim per lactation.
Risk: No routine hoof trimming, <1 hoof trim per lactation – Overgrown hooves lead to imbalanced weight bearing which can predispose to claw lesions
Footbath Assessment
Focus on footbath management if Digital Dermatitis (DD) is a common lesion. Footbaths help prevent and reduce the spread of digital dermatitis.
Footbath length 2.4 meters or longer to provide at least 2 dips of the rear feet in the chemical solution.
Risk: <2.4 meters – 15% or more cows will fail to submerge rear feet twice
Footbath solution depth 10cm or deeper to fully submerge the skin around the hoof in the chemical. The sides of the bath may be up to 25cm to preserve chemical solution.
Risk: <10cm depth of chemical – Will not completely submerge skin around the hoof and heel
An effective footbath chemical is used.
Risk: Chemicals other than Formaldehyde and Copper Sulfate do not have extensive evidence for efficacy against DD. Other chemicals or commercial mixes may be effective but use caution and monitor on farm efficacy.
Possible increased DD incidence
The amount of chemical added to the volume of the footbath results in an appropriate concentration of chemical.
Risk: <5% for copper sulfate alone – concentration too low for efficacy
Risk: <2% for copper sulfate acidified to pH 3.5-4 – concentration too low for efficacy
Risk: <3% for formalin – concentration too low for efficacy
Risk: >4% formalin - may burn skin
Risk: pH <3.5 - may burn skin
Risk: Concentration not mixed according to label for commercial mixes
No pre-bath is used, or a pre-bath has a chemical added (plain water pre-wash footbaths are not recommended)
Risk: Use of a plain water pre-wash bath - may dilute the chemical bath
Footbath is changed every 100 – 300 cows.
More than 300 cows pass through footbath without washing and refreshing the bath – reduced efficacy of chemicals when dirty.
Footbath is used at least once weekly, up to daily if incidence of digital dermatitis increases.
Footbath is used less than once per week – Not frequent enough to prevent DD.
Footbath is used in dry cows and if needed in heifers.
Risk: DD present in heifers (evaluate heels of standing heifers for redness, swelling, and lesions) – Heifers can introduce more DD to the milking herd when they freshen
Risk: Footbath is used less than once per week in dry cows – Dry cows can introduce DD to the milking herd when they freshen
Photo Source: Dairyland Initiative
Environment Assessment
Resting Area Comfort & Time Budget
Time spent standing on hard surfaces and conversely time spent lying down can have a large impact on lameness overall and especially on the development of sole ulcers. Stall design and bedding surface influence how much a cow wants to use the stalls to lie down, and her daily time budget determines how much time she has available to lie down. Stall dimension figures are from Dairyland Initiative:
Stalls adequately sized and designed for top 25% of herd cow size. Stall design issues can cause reduced lying times and contribute to lameness.
Risk: Too small – Reduces lying time
Risk: Interference with lunge space – Reduces lying time
Risk: Brisket board to high – Reduces lying time
Risk: Rear curb too high – Reduces lying time
If loose housing is used (pasture, open lot, or bedded pack) adequate resting space of 8.4 to 13.9 square meters per cow provided.
Risk: <8.4 square meters of resting space per cow – Reduces lying time
Bedding surface soft and dry to encourage lying.
Risk: Less than 10 cm of loose, soft bedding – Reduces lying time
Risk: Wet or moist bedding – Reduces lying time
Freestall stocking density allows at least one bed per cow, or 100% Cows/Beds.
Risk: Greater than 110% bed stocking density – Competition reduces lying time for subordinate cows
Cow cooling is provided during hot weather such as sprinklers at feed bunks, fans over beds, sprinklers, and fans in holding area.
Risk: During hot weather, observed resting respiratory rate in cows >70 breaths per minute (indicates heat stress) – heat stress causes reduced lying time
Risk: None or inadequate cooling – heat stress causes reduced lying time
Cows spend less than 3 hours per day away from pens for milking.
Risk: >3 hours per day – increases time spent standing
Cows spend less than 1 hour per day in headlocks or otherwise shut away from beds outside of milking time.
Risk: >1 hour every day – increases time spent standing
Flooring
Trauma to the hoof from slipping, sudden movements, and rough flooring can contribute to the development of white line lesions. Injuries to the upper limb from falls or hazards are a major cause of non-hoof related lameness.
Flooring is appropriately designed to reduce slipping without causing trauma or excessive hoof wear. Grooves in concrete should be 1.3 cm deep and 1.9 cm wide, spaced 8.3 cm on center.
Risk: slippery floors – increase in falls and slips lead to injuries and white line disease
Risk: V shaped grooves in concrete – less traction, increasing slips and falls and can twist and shear hoof wall
Risk: grooves too deep – may cause trauma to the hoof
Risk: Grooves spaced >8.3 cm on center - decreased traction, increased slips and falls
Risk: Exposed rough aggregate – trauma to the hoof and white line, excessive wear may cause thin soles
Risk: Cobblestone style concrete flooring - shallow grooves and uneven surfaces provide less traction and uneven weight bearing
Risk: Rocks in alleys or paths – trauma to hoof and white line, excessive wear
Alleys for cow movement are designed to minimize trauma to hooves, avoiding sharp turns.
Risk: Cows must take tight, sharp corners during daily movement – excessive wear and increased risk for falls and hoof damage
Cows are handled such that they can walk at a comfortable pace and are not startled.
Risk: rushed cow pushing, cows running – increase in slips and falls lead to more injury and white line disease
Risk: Excessive crowding in the holding pen (aggressive use of crowd gate) – causes leaning and excessive weight bearing on claws
Risk: Noise or sudden movements used to move cows – increased risk for slips and falls
Hygiene
Prolonged exposure to moisture weakens the natural skin barriers making the cow more susceptible to DD and foot rot. The bacteria that cause these diseases can be present in manure.
Minimal manure and mud accumulation in pens and walkways
Risk: Manure, mud, or dirty water accumulates to greater than 5 cm depth such that hooves and skin around hoof are covered when standing - leads to weakened skin barriers, increased DD contamination
Overall Herd Health and Nutrition
Trace mineral nutrition has been associated with the quality of the hoof horn and therefore susceptibility to diseases. Low body condition has been associated with lameness, possibly due to a reduction of the fat cushion within the hoof. Acidosis has been linked to inflammation of the tissues within the hoof and the development of claw horn lesions, but it is rarely the only causative factor. Diseases, especially around transition, can be trigger factors contributing to the development of claw lesions.
Adequate trace mineral nutrition including Zinc and Biotin.
Risk: Ration not balanced for trace minerals – may lead to poor hoof structure
Body condition scores >2.5
Risk: BCS <2.75 – may decrease the fat padding within the hoof
No herd signs of subclinical ruminal acidosis
Risk: Loose-bubbly manure, low cud chewing, low milk fat production – Acidosis is a possible trigger for claw lesions
Incidence of transition disease is well controlled – transition disease and stress are possible triggers for claw lesions and may increase susceptibility to infections.
Risk: Milk Fever >5% of mature cows
Risk: Displaced Abomasum >2%
Risk: Retained Placenta >5%
Risk: Metritis >5% mature cows, >15% first lactation
Risk: Mastitis >2%