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Influence of digital dermatitis and sole ulcer on dairy cow behaviour and milk production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

A. Pavlenko ,
C. Bergsten ,
I. Ekesbo ,
T. Kaart ,
A. Aland  and
L. Lidfors
A. Pavlenko*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Health and Environment, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 62, Tartu 51014, Estonia
C. Bergsten
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 234, SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden Swedish Dairy Association, PO Box 234, SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden
I. Ekesbo
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 234, SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden
T. Kaart
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, Tartu 51006, Estonia
A. Aland
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Health and Environment, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 62, Tartu 51014, Estonia
L. Lidfors
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 234, SE-532 23 Skara, Sweden
*
†E-mail: Anne.Pavlenko@emu.ee
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Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the presence of digital dermatitis (DD) and sole ulcer (SU) in dairy cows was associated with changes in behaviour and milk production. Swedish Red and Swedish Holstein cows (mostly in the first to second lactation) were housed in a cubicle system with automatically scraped passageways. After maintenance claw trimming of all the cows in the herd, 10 cows with DD and 10 cows with SU were selected. For each DD- or SU-affected cow, a healthy control cow, matched according to breed, age, parity and lactation stage, was selected. The behaviour of each of the 20 focal cows was observed for 1 h during 2 to 3 weeks after claw trimming (WACT; period 1) and for 1 h during 5 to 6 WACT (period 2). Milk production parameters: energy-corrected milk (ECM), fat and protein percentages and somatic cell counts (SCCs) were recorded once monthly. Lameness was scored once at the start of the study and cows with SU and DD showed more score 2 lameness (42% v. 31%) than the healthy cows (12%). Most differences in behaviour were found during 2 to 3 WACT when DD- and SU-affected cows were lying less (P = 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively) than healthy cows. Ruminating while standing was performed more in DD-affected cows (P < 0.001) and tended to be performed more in SU-affected cows (P = 0.079) than their controls. Vigilance was performed more in DD- and SU-affected cows than in healthy cows (P < 0.001 and P = 0.047). Cows with DD produced approximately 5.5 kg less ECM per day both at 2 to 3 WACT (P = 0.022) and at 5 to 6 WACT (P = 0.017) than healthy cows, whereas SU-affected cows tended to produce less ECM at 5 to 6 WACT (P = 0.059). No differences in milk fat and protein or SCC were found. It may be concluded that DD-affected cows showed a stronger behavioural response to the claw disease than the SU-affected cows. This shows the importance of regular claw checking and claw trimming of the cows in order to avoid the negative effects on behaviour and milk production.

Keywords

dairy cowclaw diseasebehaviourmilk production
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 8 , August 2011 , pp. 1259 - 1269
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

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