See the Full Picture of your Herd Health this Winter

Thompsons Technical team take 4 pieces of the jigsaw that make up herd health and profitability i.e. lameness, mastitis, fertility, production ...

Thompsons Targeting Lameness

This article, the first in a series of four articles by Thompson technical team, takes a look at the incidence of lameness on Northern Ireland dairy farms and importantly looks at areas for attention when it comes to reducing lameness on farm.

COSTS AND IMPLICATIONS

Farm survey work carried out by AFBI Hillsborough indicated that based on an appraisal of over 6000 cows the prevalence of lameness was 33% a figure similar to that found in other parts of the U.K. At an average costs per case of over £170/cow this represents a loss of over £5500/100 cows per year or 0.9ppl.

This cost includes direct costs associated with treatment but also indirect costs associated with reduced production. Lame cows produce on average 360kg less milk per lactation as well as having a 9-day extension in the calving to conception interval. These costs coupled with increased media/supermarket attention to animal welfare mean it is imperative the industry moves towards reducing levels of lameness on farm.

Types of Lameness

Lameness can be broadly broken into two main areas,

Infectious lameness – Conditions such as digital dermatitis, heel erosion and interdigital dermatitis are examples of infectious lameness. In Northern Ireland digital dermatitis is a particular issue with 75% of herds expected to have problems throughout the year

Non Infectious lameness – Conditions such as Sole and toe Ulcers, White line disease and solar bruising are all common examples of non infectious lameness.

Lameness, like many diseases, is accepted as being multifactorial ie. many contributing factors. Below are some of the key areas for attention when addressing lameness on farm.

Assessment

Locomotion scoring has been developed as a tool for the assessment of the level and severity of lameness in a herd, much in the same manner as body condition scoring is used to assess body weight change. The system assigns a score (1-4) to cows based on their ease of movement while walking and stance when still. The system as well as giving a herd overview also quickly identifies animals in need of immediate attention.

Another key aspect to assessment is identification and recording of the type of lameness at foot-trimming. Thompson sales force are currently undergoing training to allow for on farm assessment of lameness levels this winter.

Environment

Whilst lameness is recognised as having many contributory factors, a crucial area is that of environment. Areas of importance clearly include cleanliness and design of passageways as well as cubicle numbers, design and comfort, however other factors such as drinking water availability and walking surface can have significant effects.

MANAGEMENT

Foot-trimming

Whether foot trimming be carried out in house or by outside foot trimmers, central to its success is both trimming schedule and technique. Cows should be routinely trimmed at drying off to keep hooves in shape and avoid incorrect foot angle a primary contributory factor in cases of solar ulcers and bruising. Equally ensure that the techniques employed are based around the maintenance of proper foot angles; measurements such as a toe length of 7.5 cm and a heel depth of at least 3.75 cm are crucial in maintaining proper foot angle.

Footbathing

Frequency of foot bathing is always a topic for debate however the answer lies in both the levels of manure contamination on feet and the prevalence of infectious lameness. Typically cows should be foot-bathed 2-3 times per week however the greater the manure contamination on the lower leg the greater need. Footbath design both in terms of length and placement are crucial to its success.

Nutrition

Nutrition has a critical role to play within many aspects of dairy cow performance and no less lameness. The key area within nutritional management is the reduction in rumen pH fluctuations. Whilst the biological 

pathways are not completely clear it is accepted that incidence of acidosis increases the likelihood of non infectious lameness such as white line disease and solar ulcers. As a result diets excessively high in rumen fermentable carbohydrate such as wheat and barley present risks as does a lack of effective fibre in the total diet. Equally excessive sorting of Total Mixed Rations and inconsistent feeding times will increase rumen pH fluctuations. Thompsons range of compound dairy rations in their raw material selection and use of highly digestible fibre sources promote best rumen efficiency and this coupled with the exclusive use of Levucell live yeast in northern Ireland provide farmers with a tested and trusted means of controlling day to day pH fluctuations in all situations.

Trace Mineral Status

Trace mineral supplementation is a small but integral part of dairy cow nutrition and inadequacies at this level will result in many difficulties in modern dairy cows including the production and maintenance of healthy claw horn. Zinc and copper are essential nutrients for developing healthy claw horn tissue; while zinc and manganese play a crucial role in wound healing. These results, taken with others reports, suggest feeding a combination of minerals in a highly available form helps decrease both the incidence and severity of common claw lesions.

This winter Thompsons have incorporated Availa 4 performance minerals as a key component of their winter dairy range to help reduce levels of lameness on farm. Backed up by an industry leading body of proven research Availa 4 represents a significant tool in the fight against lameness and its costs for N.Ireland Dairy farmers.