Dr. Nigel Cook, faculty member of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, recently spoke at the American Dairy Science Association/American Society of Animal Science Joint Meeting in New Orleans, La. about lameness in the dairy industry.
Dr. Cook believes that lameness has big implications for dairy herd management and recommends a methodical approach to solving this increasing problem.
Locomotion scoring is the first step he recommends to reducing instances of lameness, and has risen in commonality over the last eight years. Next, Dr. Cook suggests revisiting the hoof trimming program to ensure the proper methods are being used.
Dr. Cook also advises keeping thorough records on any lameness issues, allowing veterinarians to easily note where problems keep recurring. Particularly, he says to track digital dermititis, white line disease and sole ulcer/lesions.
Other prominent factors proliferating lameness can include heat stress, milking schedules and type of flooring.
Feedstuffs covers more of Dr. Cook’s remarks in this article.
Tags: American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, dairy herd, Feedstuffs, lameness, locomotion scoring, management, University of Wisconsin, veterinary medicine
