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Introduction: Infections with Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi impinge upon dairy cow health and welfare and represent a major economic factor in livestock industry. Control measures largely rely on the use of anthelminthic drugs. However, reports of anthelmintic resistance necessitate sustainable approaches. Farmer characteristics such as attitude and personality are crucial for the implementation of control strategies and on-farm practices. Methods: In the present study, the HEXACO (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness to experience) model of personality structure, which conceptualizes human personality, was used to evaluate the relationship of farmer aspects with on-farm bulk tank milk seropositivity for F. hepatica and O. ostertagi. Moreover, information on farm structure, housing, management, and farmers' attitude was collected in a face-to-face interview. Farm-level seropositivity for F. hepatica and O. ostertagi was predicted via elastic net regression. Results: Out of 193 farms housing 8,774 cows in the German Federal State of Bavaria, 47 farms (24.4%) were seropositive for F. hepatica, 77 farms (39.9%) for O. ostertagi, and 42 farms (21.8%) for both endoparasites. The model for F. hepatica seropositivity selected the covariates pasture access, O. ostertagi seropositivity, higher farmer conscientiousness, and organic farming as relevant predictors. Seropositivity for O. ostertagi was predicted by F. hepatica seropositivity, pasture access, organic farming, and farmers being neutral regarding their satisfaction with animal health on their farm. Higher values for the HEXACO factors extraversion and emotionality were inversely associated with O. ostertagi seropositivity. Discussion: The present work emphasizes the importance of farmer traits in regard to animal health and parasite occurrence. For the effective acceptance and implementation of sustainable control strategies for livestock helminth infections, it is crucial to consider these aspects to holistically address the challenges of managing parasitic diseases. Moreover, tailored communication strategies can be developed incorporating the understanding of individual stockman characteristics and subsequently ensuring encouragement of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lameness is an important welfare issue in dairy farming that is causing substantial economic losses. This study aims to determine the association of potential risk factors with farm-level lameness in German dairy herds, including cubicle design and cubicle bedding, feeding management, lameness assessment, claw health management, stocking density, and floor design. Risk factors were identified for all cows regardless of the number of calvings (primiparous and multiparous cows) and for first lactation cows separately. Results of the present study showed that larger cubicle width and deep bedded cubicles are associated with a lower risk of being lame. In farms feeding a total mixed ration, the risk of being lame was lower than in farms with other feeding routines (partial mixed ration or single components). For first lactation cows, the way and frequency of lameness assessment were associated with lameness. Many of the factors revealed by this study are related to cow comfort, especially the comfort when lying down. More attention is needed here to reduce lameness in German dairy cows. Six hundred fifty-nine farms in three regions of Germany (North: n = 240, East: n = 247, and South: n = 172) were included in the study, which aims at determining the association of management-related risk factors with farm-level lameness in German dairy herds. For each risk factor, a generalised linear regression model with negative binomial distribution and logit link was built. Results showed that cows housed in deep-bedded cubicles had a lower risk of being lame than cows housed in other cubicle types. A larger cubicle width was associated with a lower risk of being lame. Feeding a total mixed ration was associated with lower lameness prevalence (compared to feeding a partial mixed ration or single components). For first lactation cows, lameness assessment performed daily (compared to less than daily) and during other work tasks (compared to lameness assessment as a separate work task) were associated with lower risk for lameness. Finally, the present study provided evidence for crucial associations of management-related risk factors with lameness in German dairy cows, especially in the fields of cubicle design, feeding management, and lameness assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lameness in dairy cows is an expression of pain most likely originating from a claw disorder, causing impaired animal wellbeing and substantial economic losses for farmers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of access to pasture, time spent on pasture, and season on farm level lameness prevalence. The survey was part of a cross-sectional observational study, in which farms in three regions of Germany (North, East and South) were visited by study veterinarians. On each farm (total: 659, N: 240, E: 247, S: 172), management data were recorded, and cows were scored for locomotion, according to Sprecher. Median farm-level lameness prevalence (Score 3/5 or higher) was 29.4% (IQR: 18.7% - 42.0%), and 8.2% (IQR: 3.7% - 14.0%) for severe lameness (Score 4/5 or higher). Farm-level lameness prevalence continuously decreased with increasing time spent on pasture (up to approximately 10 hours per cow per day). On farms that did not offer their cows access to pasture lameness prevalence did not show a seasonal variation. On farms where cows had pasture access for up to three hours per day lameness prevalence peaked in autumn. In contrast, on farms offering their cows access to pasture beyond three hours per day the peak of lameness was observed in spring. Our results revealed that even short periods of pasture access of at least two hours per cow and day (on average per year) are beneficial for the locomotion of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six hundred fifty-nine farms in three regions of Germany (North: n = 240, East: n = 247, and South: n = 172) were included in the study, which aims at determining the association of management-related risk factors with farm-level lameness in German dairy herds. For each risk factor, a generalised linear regression model with negative binomial distribution and logit link was built. Results showed that cows housed in deep-bedded cubicles had a lower risk of being lame than cows housed in other cubicle types. A larger cubicle width was associated with a lower risk of being lame. Feeding a total mixed ration was associated with lower lameness prevalence (compared to feeding a partial mixed ration or single components). For first lactation cows, lameness assessment performed daily (compared to less than daily) and during other work tasks (compared to lameness assessment as a separate work task) were associated with lower risk for lameness. Finally, the present study provided evidence for crucial associations of management-related risk factors with lameness in German dairy cows, especially in the fields of cubicle design, feeding management, and lameness assessment.