Dairy Farmworkers' Knowledge of the Causes, Risk Factors, and Clinical Signs of Bovine Lameness

Overview

Journal Vet World

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2024 Sep 27

PMID 39328449

Authors

Sibulele Matshetsheni

Ishmael Festus Jaja

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aim: Observing lameness in dairy cows is the primary animal-based indicator of their overall welfare and health status. The study evaluated dairy farmworkers' understanding of bovine lameness's causes, risk factors, and clinical symptoms in Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa.

Materials And Methods: Eleven dairy farms provided the data through questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of five sections: The first section (A) gathered demographic data (age, gender, experience, level of study), and the second section (B) dealt with farm specifics (size, grazing method). Sections C, D, and E cover farm workers' knowledge of lameness risk factors, clinical signs of lameness, and treatment and management of lameness, respectively.

Results: About 85.5% of horses experience lameness during summer, contrasted to 15% during autumn. The seasonal results were statistically significant (p < 0.05). 93% of respondents identified a decrease in appetite as the most common sign of lameness, while 94% reported reduced milk yield and 90% increased lying time; a significant correlation was found between awareness of clinical signs and localities (p < 0.05). Age, gender, and occupation level (p < 0.05) were identified as contributing factors to the movement problem in the dairy industry, necessitating training for farm workers to enhance their knowledge.

Conclusion: Although there is a satisfactory (81%) understanding of lameness by farm workers. There is still need for improvement, hence, farm worker training and retraining are essential for managing and reducing the instances of bovine lameness.

References

Charfeddine N, Perez-Cabal M . Effect of claw disorders on milk production, fertility, and longevity, and their economic impact in Spanish Holstein cows. J Dairy Sci. 2016; 100(1):653-665. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2016-11434. View

Matson R, King M, Duffield T, Santschi D, Orsel K, Pajor E . Farm-level factors associated with lameness prevalence, productivity, and milk quality in farms with automated milking systems. J Dairy Sci. 2021; 105(1):793-806. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20618. View

Arias-Pacheco C, Lucas J, Rodriguez A, Cordoba D, Lux-Hoppe E . Economic impact of the liver condemnation of cattle infected with Fasciola hepatica in the Peruvian Andes. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2020; 52(4):1927-1932. DOI: 10.1007/s11250-020-02211-y. View

Alawneh J, Laven R, Stevenson M . The effect of lameness on the fertility of dairy cattle in a seasonally breeding pasture-based system. J Dairy Sci. 2011; 94(11):5487-93. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2011-4395. View

Han G, Ceilley R . Chronic Wound Healing: A Review of Current Management and Treatments. Adv Ther. 2017; 34(3):599-610. PMC: 5350204. DOI: 10.1007/s12325-017-0478-y. View

Sadiq M, Ramanoon S, Mansor R, Syed-Hussain S, Mossadeq W . Prevalence of lameness, claw lesions, and associated risk factors in dairy farms in Selangor, Malaysia. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2017; 49(8):1741-1748. PMC: 5691093. DOI: 10.1007/s11250-017-1387-4. View

Solano L, Barkema H, Pajor E, Mason S, LeBlanc S, Heyerhoff J . Prevalence of lameness and associated risk factors in Canadian Holstein-Friesian cows housed in freestall barns. J Dairy Sci. 2015; 98(10):6978-91. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2015-9652. View

Randall L, Green M, Green L, Chagunda M, Mason C, Archer S . The contribution of previous lameness events and body condition score to the occurrence of lameness in dairy herds: A study of 2 herds. J Dairy Sci. 2017; 101(2):1311-1324. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2017-13439. View

Knage-Rasmussen K, Houe H, Rousing T, Sorensen J . Herd- and sow-related risk factors for lameness in organic and conventional sow herds. Animal. 2013; 8(1):121-7. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731113001900. View

10.

Wynands E, Roche S, Cramer G, Ventura B . Dairy farmer, hoof trimmer, and veterinarian perceptions of barriers and roles in lameness management. J Dairy Sci. 2021; 104(11):11889-11903. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20603. View

11.

Browne N, Hudson C, Crossley R, Sugrue K, Kennedy E, Huxley J . Cow- and herd-level risk factors for lameness in partly housed pasture-based dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2021; 105(2):1418-1431. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20767. View

12.

Villa-Mancera A, Reynoso-Palomar A . High prevalence, potential economic impact, and risk factors of Fasciola hepatica in dairy herds in tropical, dry and temperate climate regions in Mexico. Acta Trop. 2019; 193:169-175. DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.03.005. View

13.

Hund A, Logrono J, Ollhoff R, Kofler J . Aspects of lameness in pasture based dairy systems. Vet J. 2019; 244:83-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.12.011. View

14.

Mas-Coma S, Bargues M, Valero M . Fascioliasis and other plant-borne trematode zoonoses. Int J Parasitol. 2005; 35(11-12):1255-78. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2005.07.010. View

15.

Randall L, Green M, Chagunda M, Mason C, Archer S, Green L . Low body condition predisposes cattle to lameness: An 8-year study of one dairy herd. J Dairy Sci. 2015; 98(6):3766-77. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-8863. View

16.

Sogstad A, Osteras O, Fjeldaas T . Bovine claw and limb disorders related to reproductive performance and production diseases. J Dairy Sci. 2006; 89(7):2519-28. DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72327-X. View

17.

Lawrence K, Chesterton R, Laven R . Further investigation of lameness in cows at pasture: an analysis of the lesions found in, and some possible risk factors associated with, lame New Zealand dairy cattle requiring veterinary treatment. J Dairy Sci. 2011; 94(6):2794-805. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2010-3643. View

18.

Nalon E, Stevenson P . Addressing Lameness in Farmed Animals: An Urgent Need to Achieve Compliance with EU Animal Welfare Law. Animals (Basel). 2019; 9(8). PMC: 6720678. DOI: 10.3390/ani9080576. View

19.

Barker Z, Vazquez Diosdado J, Codling E, Bell N, Hodges H, Croft D . Use of novel sensors combining local positioning and acceleration to measure feeding behavior differences associated with lameness in dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci. 2018; 101(7):6310-6321. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2016-12172. View

20.

Pritchard T, Coffey M, Mrode R, Wall E . Understanding the genetics of survival in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2013; 96(5):3296-309. DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-6219. View