Manual locomotion scoring systems for lameness detection in dairy cows

Abstract

In the intensive milk production on dairy farms, there are a number of production problems. One of them is the high prevalence of lame cows. The economic losses owing to lameness range from 27.0 to 62.0$ in average per cow. There are a lot of different reasons for economic losses due to lameness and hoofs problems, and they can be divided into two main groups: direct (reproductive problems, less milk production) and indirect (veterinary treatments, early culling) costs. Numerous advanced disorders that affect cows' hooves can cause lameness. Timely detection of cows with a lower degree of lameness can prevent more severe stages and improve the welfare of the cows. There are several ways of detecting lameness, which can be direct and indirect methods. The objective of this paper was to describe and compare some of the manual locomotion scoring systems. All systems use ordinal or continuous types of scale and observed different gait (abduction or adduction, asymmetric gait, short step) and posture traits (arched back, hip hick, head bob). The most used manual locomotion scoring system is based on asymmetric gait, of the unbalanced weight distribution and arched back. Incorporating lameness assessment into daily farm routines requires additional commitment from farmers. This includes training, additional time and persistence, which often makes them less acceptable to farmers. Early detection of the onset of lameness can shorten treatment time, reduce treatment costs and increase animal welfare.