Lameness in dairy cows is an abnormal movement usually resulting from pain. Almost all lameness in dairy cows can be attributed to lesions in the rear feet caused by:
- Digital dermatitis –an infection of the skin in between the claws
- Sole ulcers – a lesion caused by pressure that compromises growth of the sole horn and typically affects the rear outer claw
- 白线疾病-病变(包括出血), separations and abscesses) that occur in the white line region of the claws
These lesions can range from acute to severe can be caused by a variety of factors ranging from nutrition to barn hygiene to overall herd management.
跛行不仅影响牛, but it can also negatively affect the dairy in terms of 牛奶产量, 繁殖和淘汰率. 所有这些都可能给奶牛场带来重大的经济损失, 从废弃的牛奶中提取, cost of treatment or the early removal of a cow from the herd in the most severe cases.
Prevention of lameness is key for healthy cows and, in turn, a profitable dairy. Here are some tips to prevent lameness from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s 乳制品land倡议 程序，由 Dr. 奈杰尔·库克, Professor of Food Animal Production Medicine and Chair of the Department of Medical Sciences in the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
1. 组建一个预防跛行小组
Your lameness prevention team should comprise a number of specialists, 包括你的兽医, 营养学家和修蹄师. It should also include members of the day-to-day staff who work closely with the cows and who are trained to look out for signs of lameness at designated observation areas.
These watchers should pay particularly close attention to the cows’ feet as they walk by, 同时注意他们步态或姿势的任何变化. 那头牛走路时摇着头吗? 她在拱背吗? Is the cow’s stride shorter than usual, or are her movements jerky or stiff? 她是不是更喜欢自己的一条腿? 这些都是牛可能跛了需要治疗的迹象.
奶牛场倡议 Lifestep跛行模块 recommends locomotion scoring on a 3-point scale to identify the degree of lameness in individual cows and to determine a prevalence for herd lameness.
2. 确保奶牛舒适的理想休息时间
One of the best ways to prevent lameness in dairy cows is by keeping cow comfort at the forefront of your decision-making.
奶牛最好花11.5-12.每天平均躺5小时才能达到最佳健康状态 牛奶产量.
Keeping the cows off their feet standing on hard concrete surfaces reduces the risk of sole ulcers, white line disease and other foot injuries that can be detrimental to the cow’s health.
自由式和谷仓设计, 热量减少, time spent out of the pen and stocking density are all factors of cow comfort that can affect the health of the herd.
Freestall设计
Freestalls should be sized to accommodate the cow and filled with a clean, 干, 松散的垫层材料. 沙子是理想的 and often preferred because it is an inorganic material that doesn’t promote bacteria growth. 此外，沙子:
- 对奶牛来说凉爽舒适吗
- Drains away urine and dripped milk to keep cows cleaner and drier
- Provides traction to prevent injury when cows move to stand up or lie down
- 脚尖间的磨料是清洁的吗
The bedding in the freestalls should be filled regularly with fresh material to 保持一个深床. They should also be groomed in between fillings to reduce compaction that makes for a hard, uncomfortable resting place and that reduces drainage capabilities of the bedding. Grooming or raking the freestalls between fillings allows the bedding material to stay loose for improved cow comfort.
谷仓设计
Along with freestall design and choice of bedding material, barn design is crucial for cow comfort. Choose flooring that is non-traumatic and won’t cause the cow to slip or trip. Consider how the cows will be handled when moving them from the barn to the milking parlor, 尽量限制开始的次数, 奶牛必须在途中停车和急转弯.
热量减少
在设计自由式谷仓时, also consider the climate and the effect the warmer summer months will have on cow comfort. 在夏末的几个月里，跛行倾向于增加, 因为受到热应激的奶牛站立的时间更长. Develop a 热量减少 strategy that includes air changes and/or misting of the air to keep the barns cool to prevent heat stress and encourage the cows to lie down.
时间到了
Since the goal is to get cows to rest and to keep them off their feet, 离开围栏的时间应该限制在3-3.5 hours or less per day and no more than one hour at a time for milking. Lock-up time for examination or breeding should also be limited to less than two hours, ideally coinciding with feed delivery to reduce time out of the stalls. Cows that are being treated for lameness should be standing even less.
放养密度
Resting time is affected when the number of cows exceeds the number of beds. Ensure the cows are getting enough rest by having one stall for every cow.
说到防止跛行，奶牛的舒适是关键. 确保奶牛凉爽, comfortable resting place encourages them to stay off their feet and rest for longer. 以下是谷仓设计的最佳实践, time out of the pen and stocking density also improves lying time. 最后, be vigilant about the cows’ health by routinely observing their movements and keeping an eye out for signs of lameness. All these factors help to ensure happy, healthy cows, which, in turn, ensure a profitable dairy.
