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Claw lesion treatment records were recorded by farmers on 27 dairy farms (3,074 cows, 36,432 records) in England and Wales between February 2003 and February 2004. These were combined with farm environment and management data collected using a combination of direct observations, interviews with farmers, and milk recording data. Multilevel models were constructed for the 3 most frequently reported lesions related to lameness, namely, sole ulcers, white line disease, and digital dermatitis. Risks associated with an increased incidence of sole ulcers were parity 4 or greater, the use of roads or concrete cow tracks between the parlor and grazing, the use of lime on free stalls, and housing in free stalls with sparse bedding for 4 mo or more. The risks for white line disease were increasing parity and increasing herd size, cows at pasture by day and housed at night, and solid grooved concrete floors in yards or alleys. Solid grooved flooring was also associated with an increased risk of digital dermatitis, and cows 6 or more months after calving had a decreased risk of a first case of digital dermatitis. These results improve our understanding of the specific risks for 3 important lesions associated with bovine lameness and could be used as interventions in future clinical studies targeted at the reduction of specific lesions.

Lameness in sheep is a global health, welfare and economic concern. White line disease (WLD), also known as shelly hoof, is a prevalent, non-infectious cause of lameness, characterised by the breakdown of the white line. Little is known about the predisposing factors, nor the individual disease dynamics over time. Our exploratory study aimed to investigate the prevalence and temporal dynamics of WLD, and the associated risk factors. Feet of 400 ewes from four UK commercial sheep farms were inspected for WLD at four time points across 12 months. The change in WLD state at foot-level (develop or recover) was calculated for three transition periods. We present WLD to be widespread, affecting 46.8% of foot-level and 76.6% of sheep-level observations. States in WLD changed over time, with feet readily developing and recovering from WLD within the study period. The presence of WLD at foot-level, the number of feet affected at sheep-level and dynamics in development and recovery were driven by a variety of foot-, sheep- and farm-level factors. We provide key insight into the multifaceted aetiology of WLD and corroborate previous studies demonstrating its multifactorial nature. Our study highlights an opportunity to reduce WLD prevalence and informs hypotheses for future prospective studies.

Lameness is a multifactorial condition with many causes. In this study, cow lifetime records were used to quantify the incidence of specific lameness-causing lesions and investigate factors associated with those lesions. Of primary interest were the effects of seasonality and the effects of thin soles (TS). Thin sole-induced toe ulcers (TSTU) occurring adjacent to the white line in the apical portion of the weight-bearing surface were distinguished from white line disease (WLD) occurring in the region of the abaxial heel sole junction. Sole (SU), heel (HU), and toe (TU) ulcers; TS; sole punctures (SP); leg injuries (INJ); and other (OTH) lesions (e.g., infectious diseases, laminitis, unclassified hemorrhage) were also considered. Data were collected from May 2004 through October 2007 and included records for 4,915 cows of which 1,861 had at least one recorded lameness event. Of these, 20% were TSTU, 20% OTH, 16% SU, 13% TS, 10% WLD, 8% HU, 6% INJ, 4% SP, and 2% TU. Annual incidence risk for lameness was 49.1%. Overall incidence rate for lameness was 1.41/1,000 cow-days, and rates for all lesions were highest in the summer. As parity increased, so did incidence rates for TS, SU, WLD, HU, and INJ. For TS, TSTU, and WLD, incidence rates were lowest in early lactation (16 to 60 DIM), whereas for SU, HU, TU, incidence rates were highest in mid lactation (61 to 150 DIM). Cox proportional hazard models for TS, TSTU, WLD, SU, HU, TU, and SP included age and year of first calving and milk production capacity. Prior/concurrent lameness events, season, parity, and stage of lactation were included as time-dependent effects. Prior/concurrent TS increased the hazard for all other lesions, particularly TSTU, and HU. Having any other prior claw lesion also increased the hazard for all lesions. Hazard was highest in summer for all lesions except TU. Stage of lactation was a significant effect in hazard of TSTU, which was lowest in mid lactation (61 to 150 DIM).

During the last twenty years, considerable research efforts have recognized the consequences of foot-related lameness primarily in cattle, and meat and wool sheep. Despite the lack of extensive epidemiological studies, field observations and isolated research reports in dairy sheep have suggested that the problem might be more severe in semi-intensive and intensive farming systems. Footrot, contagious ovine digital dermatitis, ovine interdigital dermatitis, white line disease, and pedal joint abscess are the most common causes of foot-related lameness. , , spp., and are the most significant foot-related lameness-associated pathogens. Despite a documented hereditary predisposition, environmental factors are the most important in determining the occurrence of foot-related lameness. Moist and warm environment, increased parity and milk yield, inappropriate housing conditions and infrastructures, inadequate hygiene status, imbalanced nutrition, and insufficient foot care are the most critical risk factors. Furthermore, a foot-lameness control plan should include targeted implementation of claw trimming and footbathing, evidence-based planning of hygiene measures in preventive veterinary practices (i.e., antibiotic administration, vaccinations against footrot), selective breeding to footrot resistance, and, most importantly, the continuous training of farming personnel. Controlling foot-lameness in dairy sheep is critical in determining the well-being of animals, and strongly affects the farm's profitability and sustainability.

Foot-related lameness, foot-diseases and lesions are emerging issues in dairy sheep; however, relevant epizootiological studies are scarce, and risk factors have not been elucidated. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were (i) to address this dearth of knowledge by investigating the epizootiology of lameness-related foot-lesions and diseases, and (ii) to assess the impact of potential risk factors on foot health, in intensive dairy sheep farms. Thirty farms were assigned in two representative clusters using a multivariate statistical analysis. Three farms per cluster and 100 multiparous milking ewes per farm (total n = 600) were selected and enrolled in the study. Foot-related lameness, ovine interdigital dermatitis (OID), infectious footrot (IFR), white line disease, hoof wall cracks, as well as health and welfare traits were recorded. Overall prevalence of foot-related lameness was 9.0% and was primarily associated with IFR; however, additional infectious and non-infectious foot diseases and lesions also contributed. Among infectious foot diseases, OID was the most prevalent (21.3%) followed by IFR (8.0%); WLD and hoof wall cracks were the most prevalent non-infectious foot-lesions (37.7% and 15.3%, respectively). IFR and OID prevalence increased with age (p < 0.05) and BCS (p < 0.01), respectively, suggesting that host-related factors and husbandry practices are important determinants of its occurrence.

Lameness represents the third most important health-related cause of economic loss in the dairy industry after fertility and mastitis. Although, dairy Mediterranean Buffaloes (MB) and dairy cows share similar breeding systems predisposing to similar herd problems, published studies exploring its relevance and role in these ruminants are still rare and incomplete. The aims of this study were to describe the clinical findings of foot disorders (FDs) in dairy MB and their influence on animal welfare, determined by assessment of locomotion score (LS), body condition score (BCS) and cleanliness score (CS). Of 1297 multiparous MB submitted to routine trimming procedures, 229 buffaloes showed at least one FD. The prevalence of buffaloes affected by FDs was 17.7 %, while motility and lameness indexes were 84.1 % (1091/1297) and 15.9 % (206/1297), respectively. Overgrowth was present in 17.0 % (220/1297), corkscrew claw in 15.8 % (205/1297), interdigital phlegmon in 0.9 % (12/1297), white line abscess in 0.8 % (11/1297), digital dermatitis in 0.1 % (1/1297) and interdigital hyperplasia in 0.1 % (1/1297). Simultaneous presence of FDs was recorded in 17.0 % of MB (221/1297): overgrowth and corkscrew claw occurred together in 15.8 % of cases (205/1297), overgrowth and interdigital phlegmon in 0.3 % (4/1297), overgrowth and white line abscess in 0.8 % (11/1297), digital dermatitis and interdigital hyperplasia in 0.1 % (1/1297). The presence of FDs was always associated with lameness (LS > 2), except from 23 MB with simultaneous overgrowth and interdigital phlegmon occurrence. The majority of MB within the under-conditioned group (95.5 %, 43/45) and all those with CS > 2 (122/122) had a locomotion score above the threshold of normality (LS > 2). Furthermore, foot diseases such as interdigital hyperplasia, white line abscess and digital dermatitis or interdigital hyperplasia seemed to occur more frequently associated with decreased BCS and increased CS scores. This study describes for the first time the involvement of white line disease, interdigital phlegmona, digital dermatitis and interdigital hyperplasia in foot disorders of dairy Mediterranean buffalo and shows their association with an impairment of animal welfare.

Lameness in dairy cattle has been reported as a concern for welfare and economic reasons for over 20 years. This concern has been expressed from across the industry and has prompted the launch of a number of initiatives to address the problem. This article reviews the current status of lameness in dairy cows in the UK, outlines the current understanding of the condition and its impacts on welfare and productivity, and highlights areas where evidence is still lacking.

The objectives of this study were to investigate temperature distribution at the sheep hoof and evaluate the reliability and diagnostic performance of infrared thermography (IRT) for the detection of footrot and white line disease (WLD) lesions in intensively reared dairy sheep. Hoof lesions were clinically assessed, and IRT was used to measure temperature distribution on hoof superficial tissue in 600 multiparous ewes. Binary regression models were developed and validated, and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated to assess the predictive value and diagnostic performance of IRT for the detection of hoof lesions. The most sensitive prediction model for the detection of IFR was based on the difference between ambient and hoof heel temperature (sensitivity: 83.3%, specificity: 47.8%, and threshold value: 6.5 °C), whereas the most specific prediction model was based on the difference between ambient and coronary band temperature (sensitivity: 51.9%, specificity: 79.7%, and threshold value: 11.3 °C). In the case of WLD, the diagnostic performance of IRT had limited predictive value. IRT could be a useful tool for hoof health screening in dairy sheep. However, it must be cautiously adapted in cases where environmental, operating, and operator variables are not effectively controlled.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of Holstein-Friesian (HF) and Norwegian (N) dairy cattle genotypes on lameness parameters in dairy cattle within different production systems over the first 2 lactations. Following calving, HF (n = 39) and N (n = 45) heifers were allocated to 1 of 3 systems of production (high level of concentrate, low level of concentrate, and grass-based). High- and low-concentrate animals were continuously housed indoors on a rotational system so that they spent similar amounts of time on slatted and solid concrete floors. Animals on the grass treatment grazed from spring to autumn in both years of the study, so that most animals on this treatment grazed from around peak to late lactation. Claw health was recorded in both hind claws of each animal at 4 observation periods during each lactation as follows: 1) −8 to 70 d postcalving, 2) 71 to 150 d postcalving, 3) 151 to 225 d postcalving, and 4) 226 to 364 d postcalving. Sole lesions, heel erosion, axial wall deviation, sole length of the right lateral hind claw (claw length), right heel width, and right lateral hind heel height were recorded as well as the presence of digital dermatitis. The N cows had lower (better) white line and total lesion scores than HF cows. Cows on the high- and low-concentrate treatments had better sole and total lesion scores than cows on the grass treatment. The HF cows had better locomotion scores than N cows. Breed and production system differences were observed with respect to claw conformation, including claw length, heel width, and heel height. Digital dermatitis was associated with worse sole lesion scores and interacted with production system to influence white line lesion scores and maximum heel erosion scores. This study shows that genetic, environmental, and infectious factors are associated with hoof pathologies in dairy cows.

A field study was conducted to examine effects of oral biotin supplementation for up to 18 mo on risks of lameness in dairy cows. The study included a total of 900 cattle from five dairy farms in Gloucestershire, southwest U.K., in a within-herd randomized control trial. The data from this trial were used in this paper to investigate the impact of parity and duration of supplementation with oral biotin at 20 mg/d on white line disease (WLD) lameness. Analysis of the data indicated that WLD increased with increasing parity independent of biotin supplementation from approximately two cases per 100 cow years in primiparous cows to 15.5 cases per 100 cow years in all multiparous cows, but up to 47.7 cases per 100 cow years for cows in parities≥5. Supplementation with biotin reduced WLD lameness by 45% in multiparous cows down to 8.5 cases per 100 cow years, whereas the effect of biotin supplementation in primiparous cows was not significant. Although numerical reductions in WLD lameness were observed for shorter periods of supplementation, a supplementation length of at least 6 mo was required to significantly reduce the risk of WLD lameness in multiparous cows. The effect of biotin supplementation in reducing lameness has potential impact for both animal welfare and farm economics.