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Lameness in dairy cattle is a clinical sign of impaired locomotion, mainly caused by painful foot lesions, compromising the US dairy industry's economic, environmental, and social sustainability goals. Combining technology and on-farm data may be a more precise and less labor-intensive lameness detection tool, particularly for early detection. The objective of this observational study was to describe the association between average weekly autonomous camera-based (AUTO) locomotion scores and hoof trimming (HT) data. The AUTO data were collected from 3 farms from April 2022 to March 2023. Historical farm HT data were collected from March 2016 to March 2023 and used to determine cow lesion history and date of HT event. The HT events were categorized as a regular HT (TRIM; n = 2,290) or a HT with a lesion recorded (LESION; n = 670). Events with LESION were subcategorized based on lesion category: digital dermatitis (DD; n = 276), sole ulcer (SU; n = 79), white line disease (WLD; n = 141), and other (n = 174). The data also contained the leg of the LESION, classified as front left (FL; n = 54), front right (FR; n = 146), rear left (RL; n = 281), or rear right (RR; n = 183) leg with 6 events missing the leg. Cows' HT histories were classified as follows: cows with no previous recorded instance of any lesion were classified as TRIM0 (n = 1,554). The first instance of any hoof lesion was classified as LESION1 (n = 238). This classification was retained until a subsequent TRIM occurred-recorded as TRIM1 (n = 632). The next unique instance of any lesion following a TRIM1 was classified as LESION2 (n = 86). Any LESION events occurring after LESION1 or LESION2 without a subsequent TRIM were considered a hoof lesion recurrence and classified as LESIONRE1 (n = 164) and LESIONRE2 (n = 22), respectively. TRIM events after LESION2 or LESION2RE (n = 104) or LESION events after LESIONRE1 or LESIONRE2 were classified as LESION_OTHER (n = 160). The AUTO scores from -28 to -1 d prior to the HT event were summarized into weekly scores and included if cows had at least 1 observation per week in the 4 wk before the event. For all weeks, LESION cows had a higher median AUTO score than TRIM cows. Cows with TRIM0 had the lowest and most consistent median weekly score compared to LESION and other TRIM classifications. Before HT cows with TRIM0 and TRIM1, both had median score increases of 1 across the 4 wk, whereas the LESION categories had an increase of 4 to 8. Scores increased with each subsequent LESION event compared to the previous LESION event. Cows with SU lesions had the highest median score across the 4 wk, WLD had the largest score increase, and DD had the lowest median score and score increase. When grouping a LESION event by leg the hoof lesion was found on, the AUTO scores for 4 groups displayed comparable median values. Due to the difference between TRIM and LESION events, this technology shows potential for the early detection of hoof lesions., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background: This case report details a long-term follow-up of a hoof melanoma with dermo-epidermal activity (resembling Spreading Superficial Melanoma (SSM)) in a bay horse with a history of a right front hoof keratoma. Melanomas involving the horse's foot are seldom reported and usually diagnosed as anaplastic melanomas based on signalment and post-mortem examination. The clinical-pathological characteristics of the foot melanoma in this bay horse are consistent with SSM-like described in humans, which is considered an intermediate malignant tumour attending their biological behaviour. However, a definitive diagnosis is limited by the single case and the lack of references in horses., Case Presentation: A 12-year-old bay Andalusian gelding underwent keratoma removal on the lateral aspect of the hoof wall. A partial resection of the hoof wall was performed for this purpose. Additionally, a plaque-like, hyperkeratotic pigmented lesion, 2 × 2X0,4 cm in size, was observed at the lateral aspect of the coronary band and was also resected for histopathological examination. Microscopically, a melanocytic tumour, characterised by small nests of large polygonal or epithelioid cells infiltrating the basal and suprabasal epidermis, the dermo - epidermal junction, and the superficial dermis, was observed. The neoplastic cells exhibited large euchromatic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, moderate pleomorphism and 4 mitotic figures per 2,37mm 2 ; variable amounts of dark granules (melanin) were present in the cytoplasm, as well as in numerous peritumoral macrophages. The immunophenotype of the tumour cells was PNL2 +  +  + , S100 +  + , AE1/AE3-. A diagnosis of melanoma with dermo-epidermal junction and marked intraepidermal activity (consistent with superficial spreading melanoma) was made. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed, revealed no further invasion into surrounding structures. Treatment was based on surgical resection and multiple local chemotherapy sessions with cisplatin were applied. The biopsies obtained after treatment showed partial regression of the tumour and different stages of healing. After 26 months of follow-up, there was no signs of malignant spreading into surrounding structures including the pedal bone and distal metastasis but a dark - coloured area persists over the lateral aspect of the coronary band., Conclusions: This case presents a concomitant keratoma and melanoma with dermo - epidermal activity, resembling a spreading superficial melanoma. After a follow - up of 26 months the horse remains healthy and sound providing new information for clinicians and pathologists. Despite the poor prognosis associated with foot malignant melanocytic tumours, it is important that an early and accurate diagnosis is reached through different diagnostic modalities such as advanced imaging techniques and histopathology. Additionally, these findings demonstrate that the current classification and prognosis for equine foot melanomas are insufficient., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study was to evaluate transcriptional changes in the sole epidermis and dermis of bovine claws with septic sole ulceration of the lateral claw. Assessment included changes in transcripts orchestrating epidermal homeostatic processes, including epidermal proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, and cell signaling. Sole epidermis and dermis samples were removed from region 4 of lesion-bearing lateral and lesion-free medial claws of pelvic limbs in multiparous, lactating Holstein cows. Control sole epidermis and dermis samples were obtained from region 4 of lateral claws of normal pelvic limbs. Transcript abundances were evaluated by real-time PCR, and relative expression analyzed by ANOVA. Relative to normal lateral claws, sole epidermis and dermis in ulcer-bearing claws exhibited downregulation of genes associated with growth factors, growth factor receptors, activator protein 1 (AP-1) and proto-oncogene (CMYC) transcription components, cell cycle elements, lateral cell-to-cell signaling elements, and structures of early and late keratinocyte differentiation. These changes were accompanied by upregulation of proinflammatory transcripts interleukin 1 α (IL1A), interleukin1 β (IL1B), interleukin 1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2), the inflammasome components NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), pyrin and caspase recruitment domain (PYCARD), caspase-1 interleukin converting enzyme (CASPASE), the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2 and MMP9), and the anti-inflammatory genes interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) and interleukin1 receptor 2 (IL1R2). Transcript abundance varied across epidermis and dermis from the ulcer center, margin, and epidermis and dermis adjacent to the lesion. Sole epidermis and dermis of lesion-free medial claws exhibited changes paralleling those in the adjacent lateral claws in an environment lacking inflammatory transcripts and downregulated IL1A, interleukin 18 (IL18), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFA), and NOS2. These data imply perturbations in signal pathways driving epidermal proliferation and differentiation are associated with, but not inevitably linked to epidermis and dermis inflammation. Further work is warranted to better define the role of crushing tissue injury, sepsis, metalloproteinase activity, and inflammation in sole ulceration., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Pododermatitis aseptica hemorrhagica circumscripta is associated with metalloproteinase 2 weakening of distal phalangeal suspensory structures and sinkage of the distal phalanx in the claw capsule. Pressure from the tuberculum flexorium on the sole epidermis and dermis produces hemorrhagic tissue injury and defective horn production appearing as yellow-red, softened claw horn in region 4 of the sole. A model of the MAPK/ERK signal cascade orchestrating epidermal-dermal homeostasis was employed to determine if sterile inflammatory responses are linked to disturbed signal transduction for epidermal homeostasis in sole epidermis and dermis. The objective was to assess shifts in target genes of inflammation, up- and downstream MAPK/ERK signal elements, and targeted genes supporting epidermal proliferation and differentiation. Sole epidermis and dermis were removed from lateral claws bearing lesions of PAHC, medial claws from the same limb and lateral claws from completely normal limbs of multiparous, lactating Holstein cows. The abundance levels of targeted transcripts were evaluated by real-time PCR. Lesion effects were assessed by ANOVA, and mean comparisons were performed with t-tests to assess variations between mean expression in ulcer-bearing or medial claw dermis and epidermis and completely normal lateral claw dermis and epidermis or between ulcer-bearing dermis and epidermis and medial claw dermis and epidermis. The lesions were sterile and showed losses across multiple growth factors, their receptors, several downstream AP1 transcription components, CMYC, multiple cell-cycle and terminal differentiation elements conducted by MAPK/ERK signals and β 4, α 6, and collagen 17A hemidesmosome components. These losses coincided with increased cytokeratin 6, β 1 integrin, proinflammatory metalloproteinases 2 and 9, IL1B and physiologic inhibitors of IL1B, the decoy receptor, and receptor antagonist. Medial claw epidermis and dermis from limbs with lateral claws bearing PAHC showed reductions in upstream MAPK/ERK signal elements and downstream targets that paralleled those in hemorrhagic lesions. Inhibitors of IL1B increased in the absence of real increases in inflammatory targets in the medial claw dermis and epidermis. Losses across multiple signal path elements and downstream targets were associated with negative effects on targeted transcripts supporting claw horn production and wound repair across lesion-bearing lateral claws and lesion-free medial claw dermis and epidermis. It was unclear if the sterile inflammation was causative or a consequence of these perturbations., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background: Clinicopathological findings and their association with the outcome and development of laminitis in horses with acute diarrhoea has not been investigated in a multicentre study across different geographic regions., Objectives: Describe and compare clinicopathologic findings of diarrhoeic horses between different geographic regions, survival rates and factors associated with non-survival and laminitis., Study Design: Multicentre retrospective case series., Methods: Information from horses with acute diarrhoea presenting to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020 was collected, and clinicopathological data were compared between surviving and non-surviving horses and horses that did and did not develop laminitis. Survival rates and seasonal and geographic differences were also investigated., Results: One thousand four hundred thirty-eight horses from 26 participating institutions from 4 continents were included; 76% survived to discharge with no differences identified between geographic regions. The survival proportion of horses with SIRS and creatinine concentrations > 159 μmol/L was 55% (154/279) compared with 81% (358/437) for those with SIRS and creatinine concentrations < 159 μmol/L (p < 0.001). The survival proportion of horses with SIRS that had an L-lactate concentration > 2.8 mmol/L was 59% (175/298) compared with 81% (240/296) in horses with SIRS and L-lactate concentration < 2.8 mmol/L (p < 0.001). The proportion of horses that developed laminitis was lower in Europe (4%, 19/479) compared with North America (8%, 52/619), Australia (8%, 12/138) and Latin America (11%, 16/146) (p < 0.05). More horses developed laminitis in the summer (46%, 39/85) compared with winter (18%, 15/85), spring (18%, 15/85) and fall (19%, 16/85) (p < 0.01). Horses with laminitis had greater odds of non-survival than those without laminitis (OR: 3.73, 95% CI: 2.47-5.65)., Main Limitations: Not all variables were available for all horses due to the retrospective nature., Conclusions: Clinicopathological findings in horses with acute diarrhoea and their association with survival are similar across geographic regions. However, developing laminitis secondary to diarrhoea is less common in Europe. In addition, factors associated with non-survival were indicative of disease severity and subsequent cardiovascular compromise., (© 2023 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Background: An international description of the diagnostic approaches used in different institutions to diagnose acute equine diarrhoea and the pathogens detected is lacking., Objectives: To describe the diagnostic approach, aetiological agents, outcome, and development of laminitis for diarrhoeic horses worldwide., Study Design: Multicentre retrospective case series., Methods: Information from horses with acute diarrhoea presenting to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020, including diagnostic approaches, pathogens detected and their associations with outcomes, were compared between institutions or geographic regions., Results: One thousand four hundred and thirty-eight horses from 26 participating institutions from 4 continents were included. Overall, aetiological testing was limited (44% for Salmonella spp., 42% for Neorickettsia risticii [only North America], 40% for Clostridiodes difficile, and 29% for ECoV); however, 13% (81/633) of horses tested positive for Salmonella, 13% (35/262) for N. risticii, 9% (37/422) for ECoV, and 5% (27/578) for C. difficile. C. difficile positive cases had greater odds of non-survival than horses negative for C. difficile (OR: 2.69, 95%CI: 1.23-5.91). In addition, horses that were positive for N. risticii had greater odds of developing laminitis than negative horses (OR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.12-6.81; p = 0.029)., Main Limitations: Due to the study's retrospective nature, there are missing data., Conclusions: This study highlighted limited diagnostic investigations in cases of acute equine diarrhoea. Detection rates of pathogens are similar to previous reports. Non-survival and development of laminitis are related to certain detected pathogens., (© 2023 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Understanding the aetiology and pathogenesis of claw-horn disease (CHD) is essential for developing prevention/treatment programmes. Haemorrhages in the hoof horn (i.e. white line/sole haemorrhages) are an important part of the pathogenesis of CHD, being precursors to and predictors of lesions such as white-line disease and sole ulcer. Understanding haemorrhage development can provide useful information about the aetiology and pathogenesis of CHD. The development of hoof horn haemorrhages is best studied in cattle without previous claw-horn damage, as previous history of damage can markedly alter the hoof's response to stressors. Since the early 1990s, many prospective studies of the risk factors associated with CHD have been undertaken in late pregnant and early lactation heifers, which have a low risk of having had CHD but which are exposed to the same risk factors as lactating cows. Those studies have used a range of methods to assess hoof horn haemorrhages, with the principal focus, particularly initially (but also more recently), being on measuring lesion severity. However, as the science developed it became clear that measuring lesion extent was also important and that combining severity and extent in a single measure was the best approach to assess hoof horn haemorrhages. Studies of hoof horn haemorrhage in heifers have significantly increased our understanding of CHD, demonstrating the importance of housing and the relative lack of importance of post-calving nutrition. Most importantly, they have shown the importance of parturition as a risk factor for CHD, and how parturition interacts with other risk factors to accentuate their effect. The use of such studies has decreased in recent years, despite recent research showing that we still have much to learn from prospective studies of hoof horn haemorrhages in heifers., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cattle lameness is a significant welfare and economic problem facing the livestock industry. Published research has investigated foot trimming practices in dairy herds, but little is known about the practices in beef herds. Therefore, the objective of this study was to obtain information about the current practices of professional cattle foot trimmers concerning beef cattle within the UK., Methods: An online survey comprising 16 questions was created using the Joint Information Systems Committee platform. The survey was open for 3 months., Results: There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the proportions of dairy cattle and beef cattle receiving preventative foot trims. Digital dermatitis was the most commonly recorded cause of lameness when a lame beef animal was trimmed by the respondents, followed by white line disease. A thematic analysis of foot trimmers' opinions of barriers to engagement on beef farms is presented, in addition to their opinions on veterinary involvement with beef lameness., Limitations: Distribution bias may have affected the results, as the survey was distributed online with support from the Cattle Hoof Care Standards Board and the National Association of Cattle Hoof Trimmers. The percentage of foot trimmers not affiliated with either professional body is not known., Conclusion: Further research on the impact of lameness on suckler and finishing cattle, including investigations into preventative actions to reduce lameness in beef systems, is warranted., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

Cattle lameness remains a significant concern, causing economic losses and compromising animal welfare. Claw horn lesions have been identified as a major cause of lameness in dairy cows, but their correlation with high-energy diets and ruminal acidosis remains unclear. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to assess the effects of a high-starch diet and a conventional diet on the rumen environment, acute-phase proteins, and metabolic alterations, with a particular focus on insulin resistance and the consequent implications for the histology of the hooves in Holstein steers. A total of 16 animals were divided into the high-starch (HS; 37% starch) and conventional (CON; 16.8% starch) groups. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT), blood analyses, rumen fluid analyses, and histological evaluations of the hoof tissue were conducted over a 102-d experimental period. The HS group showed a lower ruminal pH than the CON group, and with values indicating SARA. The plasma glucose and IGF-1 concentrations were higher in the HS group, suggesting an anabolic state. Both groups exhibited an increase in the insulin area under the curve (AUC) after the GTT on d 102. Histological analysis of the hooves showed a reduction in the length and width of the epidermal lamella in both groups. We found a significant negative correlation between the insulin AUC and the length and width of the epidermal lamella. Because both groups were similarly affected, the hypothesis that histological alterations were caused by the experimental diets still needs confirmation. Additionally, the development of SARA was not essential for the observed histological changes in the hoof. Further studies are warranted to thoroughly investigate the role of insulin and IGF-1 imbalances in claw health., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a polybacterial disease endemic to most UK dairy farms. It poses a major financial and welfare threat and is characterized by high incidence and recurrence rates. We aimed to investigate the association between the UK EBV for resistance to digital dermatitis, the digital dermatitis index (DDI), and the frequency of DD, heel horn erosion (HHE), and interdigital hyperplasia (IH) in a population of Holstein dairy cows. We enrolled and genotyped 2,352 cows from 4 farms in a prospective cohort study. Foot lesion records were recorded by veterinary surgeons for each animal at 4 time points during a production cycle, starting at approximately 2 mo before calving and ending in late lactation. Importantly, these records were not used in the calculation of the DDI. Lesion records were matched to the animal's own DDI (n = 2,101) and their sire's DDI (n = 1,812). Digital dermatitis index values in our study population ranged from -1.41 to +1.2 and were transformed to represent distance from the mean expressed in SD. The relationship between the DDI and the presence of DD was investigated using a logistic regression model, with farm, parity, and a farm-parity interaction fitted as covariates. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to evaluate the relationship between HHE and DDI with farm fitted as a covariate. Finally, a univariable logistic regression model with DDI as explanatory variable was used to investigate the relationship between IH and DDI. The odds ratio of an animal being affected by DD was 0.69 for 1 SD increase in the animal's DDI (95% CI = 0.63-0.76). The odds of HHE and IH were 0.69 (95% CI = 0.62-0.76) and 0.58 (95% CI = 0.49-0.68) respectively for 1 SD increase in DDI. The adjusted probability of DD was 32% (95% CI = 27-36%) for cows with mean DDI value of 0, while it was 24% (95% CI = 20-29%) in cows with a DDI value of +1. Sire DDI breeding values were standardized in the same way and then binned into terciles creating an ordinal variable representing bulls of high, medium, and low genetic merit for DD resistance. The daughters of low genetic merit bulls were at 2.05 (95% CI = 1.60-2.64), 1.96 (95% CI = 1.53-2.50), and 2.85 (95% CI = 1.64-5.16) times greater odds of being affected by DD, HHE, and IH, respectively, compared with the daughters of high genetic merit bulls. The results of this study highlight the potential of digital dermatitis genetic indexes to aid herd management of DD, and suggest that breeding for resistance to DD, alongside environmental and management control practices, could reduce the prevalence of the disease., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

From summer 2018 to summer 2019, several Thoroughbred racehorses held at the Miho Training Centre of the Japan Racing Association inadvertently ingested excessive amounts of sodium selenite, resulting in typical chronic selenium (Se) poisoning - the so-called alkali disease. The typical abnormality was a hoof wall disorder with a circumferentially deep ring and/or transverse hoof wall cracks parallel to the coronet on all feet and appearing after excessive ingestion. One affected Thoroughbred male was unique in that all the hooves had a rough surface with a very fragile hoof wall, but no wall rings or transverse cracking. This horse was euthanized because of dysstasia due to the permanent foot pain associated with hoof wall deformities in the front feet. To detect Se deposition in the hooves, we used energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis to measure the Se signal intensity of each lesion. Characteristic Se-kα signals were emitted from the areas of histologically damaged hoof wall at 33.76 ± 11.78 (mean ± SD) counts per second (cps)/mm 2 . In contrast, the signal from the uninjured proximal hoof wall was 1.43 ± 0.14 cps/mm 2 and that from the uninjured distal hoof wall was 1.51 ± 0.23 cps/mm 2 . The much greater Se deposition in the injured hoof walls suggests that their disintegration was caused by alkali disease. These results indicate that atypical hoof wall abnormalities due to alkali disease can be diagnosed by EDXRF analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declared no conflicts of interest in relation to the research, authorship or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To retrospectively report the historical and clinical findings, diagnostics, treatment, and outcome of horses with penetrating wood foreign bodies (PWFBs) of the coronary band., Animals: 15 client-owned horses., Clinical Presentation: Horses had varying degrees of lameness and soft tissue swelling of the coronary band and pastern region. A defect in the coronary band was identified, but the actual wood foreign body was not always readily visualized., Results: Medical records of horses diagnosed with PWFBs of the coronary band between 2004 and 2023 were reviewed. Information retrieved from the medical records included history, signalment, diagnostics, treatment, and outcome. Thirteen of 15 horses that sustained a PWFB to the coronary band were participating in foxhunting. Penetrating wood foreign bodies occurred more frequently near the central axis or toe region (11/15) and more commonly in the forelimbs (11/15). Removal of PWFBs can be performed with the horse standing and sedated with regional anesthesia. Complete removal of the PWFB required partial removal of the adjacent hoof wall., Clinical Relevance: Penetrating wood foreign bodies occurred in the coronary band and lodged distally in the hoof wall of horses. Foxhunting may be a risk factor for this type of injury. Penetrating wood foreign bodies occurred most commonly in the front feet, near the central axis of the coronary band. Complete removal of the PWFB required removing a section of the adjacent hoof wall. The prognosis for return to the previous level of activity following treatment was favorable.

A 3.5-year-old male intact domestic short hair cat presented for a chronic wound and crusts over the claw and claw folds over several months. The cat was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus based on the presence of persistent hyperglycemia, glucosuria, and compatible clinical signs which consist of polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss. Glipizide (Glucotrol XL, Pfizer, Indonesia) 2.5 mg orally twice daily was prescribed. By the seventeenth day, the patient's claws and skin around the paw had normalized and the abnormal claw sloughed off, revealing a normal claw underneath. Blood glucose, urinalysis and serum fructosamine were also normalized by the thirtieth day. The patient underwent diabetic remission, and the skin and claw lesions have remained in remission and not recurred since the treatment of the diabetes mellitus. This is the first report of a diabetic cat with dermatologic changes to the skin and claw regions. As the diabetes mellitus went into clinical remission, so too did the dermatologic manifestations, even without any specific dermatologic treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sole ulcers, a common cause of lameness is the costliest non-infectious foot lesion in dairy cows and one of the most prevalent non-infectious foot lesions in freestall housing systems. Costs associated with sole ulcers are treatment costs, plus increased labor and decreased productivity and fertility. Routine hoof trimming is part of a strategy to manage sole ulcers. However, hoof trimming strategies differ among farms. The two most frequently applied strategies are: 1) partial herd hoof trimming with a 2-month interval between trims; and 2) whole herd hoof trimming at 6-month intervals. A Markov model was developed to investigate whether every 2 months partial herd hoof trimming or whole herd hoof trimming every 6 months was the most cost-effective strategy to avoid costs associated with sole ulcers. In this model, the net benefits for a 100-cow herd and the average productive life span of a dairy cow in intensive dairy systems of 3 years were evaluated. Partial herd hoof trimming was the most cost-effective strategy 100% of the time compared to whole herd hoof trimming, with a difference in 3-year net benefits of US$4,337 (95% CI: US$2,713-US$5,830). Based on sensitivity analyses, variables that were the sources of the biggest uncertainty in the model were herd size, the probability of being trimmed in a partial herd trim, and the prevalence of sole ulcers. To further investigate the impacts of herd size and of probability of being trimmed, various scenario analyses were conducted. With increasing herd size, the difference in net benefits in favor of partial herd hoof trimming increased even more. Scenario analyses about the probability of getting trimmed all indicated that targeted intervention increased the difference in net benefits in favor of partial herd hoof trimming. However, if the selection of cows to be trimmed in a partial herd trim was random, the whole herd hoof trimming strategy became cost-effective. Therefore, targeted selection and early intervention are necessary to decrease costs associated with sole ulcers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Waldbauer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Our objective was to assess potassium monopersulfate as a disinfectant used in footbath to control digital dermatitis (DD) in dairy cows. We hypothesized that a potassium monopersulfate solution would control DD. A 180-day randomized negative controlled trial was conducted in a 265-Holstein free-stall facility. Throughout the trial, foot bathing was performed bi-weekly using a split (left vs. right feet) footbath: one tub filled with 1% potassium monopersulfate (treatment), the other with tap water (control). Digital dermatitis lesions were scored during trimming chute examinations of the unwashed hind heels every 90 days using the modified M-scoring system. Digital dermatitis lesions were re-categorized into four variables: 1) inactive; 2) active; 3) any; 4) inactive or absence of DD lesions. Three longitudinal outcomes were characterized: risks of 1) developing a DD lesion; 2) reactivating an inactive DD lesion; 3) development of an inactive or the absence of the DD lesion. A generalized linear model was used to compare the variables and longitudinal outcomes between treated and control groups. Prevalence of active DD lesions increased from 12.5% to 39.9% between days 0 and 90. This significant increase in prevalence justified the discontinuation of the study on day 90 for ethical reasons. There was no statistical difference between treated and control groups for the first outcome (RR: 1.0; 95% CI: 0.62, 1.7), the second outcome (RR: 1.0; 95% CI: 0.62,-1.7); or the third outcome (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.37, 2.1). A 1% potassium monopersulfate footbath solution appears ineffective to control DD in this study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Per the research agreement, aside from providing financial support, the funders have no role in the design or conducting of the studies, data collection, and analysis or interpretation of the data. The researchers maintain independence in conducting their studies, own their data, and report the outcomes regardless of the results. The decision to publish the findings rests solely with the researchers., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Case Series Summary: This case series describes the clinical findings and surgical intervention of 86 declawed cats; 52 from a shelter or rescue and 34 owned cats. Historical reports from owners and shelter staff included house-soiling, biting behavior, repelling behavior, barbering, lameness, chronic digit infection and nail regrowth. All the cats had fragments of the third phalanx (P3) of varying sizes diagnosed on radiographs. Pathology visible on examination included digital subcutaneous swelling, ecchymosis, malaligned digital pads, ulcerations, exudate, tendon contracture, nail regrowth and callusing. Surgery was pursued in these cases to remove the P3 fragments, relieve tendon contracture and reposition the digital pads with an anchoring suture. Gross findings intraoperatively included fragmented growth of cornified and non-cornified nail tissue, osteophytes on the surface of the second phalanx, deep digital flexor tendon calcification, and both bacterial and sterile exudate. The most common complication 14 days postoperatively was mild (14%) to moderate (1%) lameness. All historical parameters recorded improved in both populations of cats (house-soiling, biting behavior, repelling behavior, barbering, lameness, tendon contracture and chronic digit infection). Postoperatively, 1/47 cats exhibited continued malalignment of two digital pads and there were no reports of long-term postoperative lameness., Relevance and Novel Information: Two methods of declawing cats are detailed in the veterinary literature, including partial amputation of P3 and disarticulation of the entire P3 bone. The novel information in this report includes historical and clinical signs of declawed cats with P3 fragments, intraoperative gross pathology, surgical intervention and the postoperative follow-up results., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe author declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The author is a volunteer member of the Paw Project, serving as both the Indiana (2014–2017) and Texas (2017–2023) state directors.

Foot characteristics have been linked to the development of sole lesions (sole hemorrhage and sole ulcers) and white line lesions, also known as claw horn disruption lesions (CHDL). The objective of this study was to examine the association of claw anatomy and sole temperature with the development of CHDL. A cohort of 2,352 cows was prospectively enrolled from 4 UK farms and assessed at 3 time points: before calving (T1-precalving), immediately after calving (T2-calving), and in early lactation. At each time point body condition score was recorded, a thermography image of each foot was taken for sole temperature measurement, the presence of CHDL was assessed by veterinary surgeons, and an ultrasound image was taken to retrospectively measure the digital cushion and sole horn thickness. Additionally, at the postcalving time point, foot angle and heel depth were recorded. Four multivariable logistic regression models were fit to separately examine the relationship of precalving and postcalving explanatory variables with the development of either white line lesions or sole lesions. Explanatory variables tested included digital cushion thickness, sole horn thickness, sole temperature, foot angle, and heel depth. Farm, parity, body condition score, and presence of lesion at the time of measurement were also included in the models. A thicker digital cushion shortly after calving was associated with decreased odds of cows developing sole lesions during early lactation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65-0.84). No association was found between digital cushion thickness and development of white line lesions. Sole temperature after calving was associated with increased odds of the development of sole lesions (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05), and sole temperature before and after calving was associated with the development of white line lesions (T1-precalving OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07; T2-calving OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99). Neither foot angle nor heel depth was associated with the development of either lesion type. However, an increased sole horn thickness after calving reduced the odds of cows developing sole lesions during early lactation (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.83-0.93), highlighting the importance of maintaining adequate sole horn when foot trimming. Before calving, animals with a lesion at the time of measurement and a thicker sole were more likely to develop a sole lesion (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.09-1.40), compared with those without a sole lesion. The results presented here suggest that white line and sole lesions may have differing etiopathogenesis. Results also confirm the association between the thickness of the digital cushion and the development of sole lesions, highlight the association between sole horn thickness and sole lesions, and challenge the potential importance of foot angle and heel depth in the development of CHDL., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Corkscrew claw (CC) in dairy cattle is increasingly reported in dairy herds. CC is a progressive deformity of the claw capsule with uncertain aetiology and pathogenesis. Genetics and specific environmental factors are suspected of contributing to the development of this irreversible condition. CC has been found in lame cows; however, the cause and effect has not been established. To perform analysis of risk factors, treatment and pathogenesis, a definition of severity scores is called for. The aim of this study was to measure and analyse CC characteristics from photos of cows' feet to describe and evaluate a scoring system for CC. Width of the visible part of the axial wall, degree of contact between the toe and the floor and angle of the distal part of the abaxial wall as a proxy for the deviation of the abaxial wall was measured from 393 pictures of CC. Based on the measurements on the claws, the parameter "width of the axial wall" was chosen to define the scores. The parameter was divided into three intervals to define either mild CC 0.3-2.0 cm, moderate CC 2.1-3.5 cm or severe CC>3.5 cm and correlation between the parameters; level of contact between the toe and the floor and the angle of the distal abaxial wall was evaluated. There was a significant positive linear correlation between width of the axial wall and angle of the distal part of the abaxial wall (r=0.91), the wider the axial wall, the more the abaxial wall deviated in the distal part. As the width of the axial wall increased the toe increasingly lost contact with the floor, this association was significant for mild CC and moderate CC but not for severe CC. The Interobserver agreement of the CC Scoring system was tested by 30 claw trimmers each scoring 32 cadaver feet and by 2 trained observers on 28 photos of feet using Cohen´s weighted kappa and showed substantial to almost perfect agreement between untrained and trained observers, respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors has any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Hyperinsulinemia is the key feature of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) which leads to debilitating sequelae. Hyperinsulinemia-associated laminitis (HAL) is one of the major sequelae of EMS, although the pathophysiological mechanisms are not well elucidated. Using an equine model, we hypothesized that expression of inflammatory markers would be increased in digital lamellae and striated muscle following prolonged hyperinsulinemia. Healthy Standardbred horses (5.4 ± 1.9 years) were alternately assigned to a prolonged euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (pEHC) or control group (n = 4 per group). Following a 48 h pEHC or a 48 h infusion of a balanced electrolyte solution (controls), biopsies were collected from digital lamellar tissue, skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle were obtained. All hyperinsulinemic horses developed laminitis regardless of previous health status at enrollment. Protein expression was quantified via Western blotting. A significant (P < 0.05) upregulation of the protein expression of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M) and fibrinogen (α, β isoforms), as well as inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1β were detected in digital lamellae following prolonged hyperinsulinemia. In contrast, protein expression of cytokines and acute phase proteins in heart and skeletal muscle was unchanged following hyperinsulinemia. Upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in digital lamellae during prolonged hyperinsulinemia may reveal potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for equine endocrinopathic laminitis. Further, the lack of increase of inflammatory proteins and acute phase proteins in striated muscle following prolonged hyperinsulinemia may highlight potential anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective mechanisms in these insulin-sensitive tissues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lameness has been associated with compromised animal welfare and reduced productivity in dairy cattle herds worldwide. However, little is known about the prevalence of claw lesions in the dairy buffalo population in Egypt. Furthermore, the optimum measurements for claw trimming in buffalo are unknown. A cross-sectional cadaver study was conducted where 135 pair buffalo hind feet were collected from 4 slaughterhouses and examined for the presence of claw lesions. The proportion and associated 95% confidence interval (CI) of each type of lesion were calculated. A separate set of healthy claws (n = 26) underwent ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT). The agreement between US and CT measurements was assessed using Passing-Bablok regression and intraclass correlation coefficient. The CT measurements were used to calculate trimming recommendations., Results: At least one lesion was identified in 242 claws (89.6%, 95% CI = 85.4-93.0). In healthy claws, poor to moderate agreement was identified between US and CT measurements which could be due a sample size of the study. The average ± standard deviation (SD) minimum recommended external wall length of the lateral and medial claws in heifers was 7.1 ± 0.36 cm and 7.5 ± 0.35 cm, respectively. The average ± SD minimum recommended external wall length in buffaloes over five years of age was 8.2 ± 0.27 cm and 8.4 ± 0.39 cm for the lateral and medial claws, respectively., Conclusions: The study found a high prevalence of claw lesions in buffalo in Egypt, the clinical significance of which requires further elucidation. Recommended measurements will help guide claw trimming in buffalo to minimise lesions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Claw lesions in dairy cows contribute significantly to lameness, causing distress and discomfort for affected cows and raising welfare concerns. Despite increased awareness, lameness incidence continues to rise. Defining and recording claw traits are particularly problematic. In South Africa (SA), claw data is limited to paper-based records kept by private hoof trimmers. This research analysed claw-trimming data from five dairy farms over 6 years to examine the occurrence and recording of claw lesions in SA Holstein cattle. Lesion identification followed the Claw Lesion Identification in Dairy Cattle brochure. Among the recorded lesions, digital dermatitis (DD) had the highest prevalence (64.02%), followed by sole ulcers (SU; 8.59%), white line disease (WLD; 6.27%), and sole haemorrhage (SH; 4.28%), and most lesions occurred in the rear feet. Chi-square tests and correspondence analysis (CA) were employed to explore the relationships between lesions, feet, and housing. Results indicated that the prevalence of SU and SH showed high similarity for foot and lesion association, and that these were more highly associated with the rear feet. Additionally, the prevalence of DD and interdigital phlegmon were strongly associated, and closely associated with SU, and all these lesions were associated with both dirt lot and free-stall housing systems. CA further confirmed a close association between WLD and SH, and the prevalence of these lesions in the combination housing system. Results of this study highlight the complexity of lesion data and that specific associations between lesions could lead to simplifying the recording thereof. Consolidating the most informative claw lesions into categories will aid in the practical prevention, management, and treatment of lameness on-farm., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Aims: To compare the retention by New Zealand dairy cows kept at pasture in a lame cow group, of three hoof block products commonly used in the remediation of lameness., Methods: Sixty-seven farmer-presented Friesian and Friesian x Jersey dairy cows from a single herd in the Manawatū region (New Zealand) suffering from unilateral hind limb lameness attributable to a claw horn lesion (CHL) were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: foam block (FB), plastic shoe (PS) and a standard wooden block (WB). Blocks were applied to the contralateral healthy claw and checked daily by the farm staff (present/not present) and date of loss was recorded. Blocks were reassessed on Day 14 and Day 28 and then removed unless further elevation was indicated. Daily walking distances were calculated using a farm map and measurement software. Statistical analyses included a linear marginal model for distance walked until block loss and a Cox regression model for the relative hazard of a block being lost., Results: Random allocation meant that differences between products in proportion used on left or right hind foot or lateral or medial claw were small. Mean distance walked/cow/day on farm tracks whilst the block was present was 0.32 (min 0.12, max 0.45) km/day; no biologically important difference between products in the mean distance walked was identified. Compared to PS, cows in the WB group were five times more likely to lose the block (HR = 4.8 (95% CI = 1.8-12.4)), while cows in the FB group were 9.5 times more likely to lose the block (HR = 9.5 (95% CI = 3.6-24.4))., Conclusions: In this study, PS were retained for much longer than either FB or WB. As cows were managed in a lame cow group for the study duration, walking distances were low and did not impact on the risk of block loss. More data are needed to define ideal block retention time., Clinical Relevance: In cows with CHL the choice of block could be based on the type of lesion present and the expected re-epithelisation times.

Aims: To describe the time in days for lame dairy cows to recover after diagnosis and treatment of claw horn lameness, and to investigate whether cure rates differed between farms., Methods: Five dairy farms in the Waikato region were conveniently enrolled into a descriptive epidemiological study. Three of these farms had dairy cattle enrolled over two consecutive seasons, while two farms enrolled for one year. Lame cattle diagnosed by the farmers were enrolled into the study if they had a lameness score (LS ≥ 2 on a 0-3 scale) and claw horn lesions. All enrolled animals were treated by a single veterinarian following a consistent methodology, and subsequently assessed for LS at a median frequency of 4 days from enrolment until they were sound (LS = 0). The times (days) taken for animals to become sound and non-lame (LS < 2) were reported for all animals, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves used to present the results. A Cox-proportional hazard model was used to assess if the hazard of soundness was associated with farm, age, breed, lesion, number of limbs involved, and LS at enrolment., Results: A total of 241 lame cattle with claw horn lesions were enrolled across the five farms. White line disease was the predominant pain-causing lesion in 225 (93%) animals, and blocks were applied to 205 (85%) of enrolled animals. The overall median days from enrolment to becoming sound was 18 (95% CI = 14-21) days, and 7 (95% CI = 7-8) days to become non-lame. A difference in the hazards of lameness cure between farms was identified (p = 0.007), with median days to lameness cure between farms ranging from 11 to 21 days . No associations were identified between age, breed, limb, or LS at enrolment on the lameness cure rates., Conclusions: Treatment of claw horn lameness following industry-standard guidelines in dairy cattle on five New Zealand dairy farms resulted in rapid cure, although cure rates differed between farms., Clinical Relevance: Following industry best-practice lameness treatment guidelines, including frequent use of blocks, can result in rapid lameness cure rates in New Zealand dairy cows. This study also suggests that management of lame cattle on pasture can positively benefit their welfare and recovery times. The reported cure rates provide veterinarians with benchmarks on the length of time after which a lame animal should be re-examined, and in the investigation of poor treatment response rates at the herd level.

Background: The health and performance of horses are significantly affected by diseases associated with the hoof. Laminitis is a critical hoof disease that causes pain and, potentially, severe hoof and bone pathology., Objective: To generate an equine hoof finite element (FE) model to investigate the impact of normal and toe-in hoof conformations on the degeneration (decrease in elastic modulus) of the laminar junction (LJ), as occurs in chronic laminitis., Study Design: Computer software modelling., Methods: A hoof FE model was generated to investigate the biomechanics of hoof laminitis. A 3D model, consisting of nine components, was constructed from computed tomography scans of an equine left forelimb hoof. The model was loaded with 100 cycles of trotting. Two different centres of pressure (COP) paths representing normal and toe-in conformations were assigned to the model. LJ injury was modelled by degenerating the tissue's elastic modulus in the presence of excessive maximum principal stresses., Results: FE models successfully showed findings similar to clinical observations, confirming third phalanx (P3) dorsal rotation, a symmetric distal displacement of the P3 (2 mm at the lateral and medial sides) in the normal model, and an asymmetric distal displacement of the P3 (4 mm at the lateral and 1.5 mm at the medial side) in the toe-in model. The proximal distance between P3 and the ground after LJ degeneration in the current model was significantly different from experimental measurements from healthy hooves (P < 0.01)., Main Limitations: The inability to account for variations in population geometry and approximation of boundary conditions and system relations were the limitations of the current study., Conclusions: The distribution of LJ tissue degeneration was symmetric at the quarters in the normal hoof and in comparison, there was a lateral concentration of degeneration in the toe-in model., (© 2022 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) is a debilitating disease of free-ranging elk (Cervus canadensis) in the northwestern U.S. While treponemes are associated with lesions, the etiology and transmissibility between elk are unknown. Our objective was to determine whether the disease can be environmentally transmitted to captive elk. Four individually housed treatment elk and 2 control elk were challenged with soil mixed with inoculum prepared from free-ranging elk hooves from TAHD-positive elk or autoclaved hooves from normal elk, respectively. The inoculum for each group was applied to the interdigital space and added to pre-existing soil in each pen. Eight challenges were conducted at 1-4-week intervals and lesion development was assessed during a 138-day challenge period that was followed by a 170-day monitoring period to document lesion progression. All treatment elk, but no control elk, developed gross and histologic lesions consistent with TAHD. Treponema phylotypes similar to those in bovine digital dermatitis in cattle were detected using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from lesions in all treatment elk, but no control elk, during the challenge period. Lesions progressed from ulcerations in the interdigital space to extensive ulceration and underrunning of the hoof capsule by 35 and 173 days following the initial inoculation, respectively. Lameness in treatment elk was correlated with lesion development (R = 0.702, p≤0.001), and activity of infected elk was reduced during the challenge (p≤0.001) and monitoring periods (p = 0.004). Body condition was significantly lower in treatment than control elk 168 days following the initial inoculation (p = 0.05) and at each individual elk's study endpoint (p = 0.006). Three of 4 treatment elk were euthanized when they reached humane endpoints, and one elk recovered. These results provide direct evidence that TAHD is a transmissible infectious disease in elk. As such, actions that reduce transmission risk can support disease management and prevention., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Robinson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Surgical stabilisation of the distal phalanx (DP) is a potential therapeutic strategy for severe acute laminitis., Objective: To evaluate the effects of locking compression plate (LCP) fixation of the DP to the dorsal hoof wall., Study Design: Ex vivo and in vivo experiments., Methods: A T-shaped LCP was applied to one limb per pair in six pairs of cadaver forelimbs subjected to a combination of thermally induced lamellar failure and vertical load to simulate severe acute laminitis. Standard radiographic measurements were used to compare DP displacement. The LCP was then applied to one forefoot in 12 healthy Standardbred horses either standing (n = 6) or under general anaesthesia (n = 6). Lameness was evaluated daily, then horses were euthanised (day 8) and lamellar tissue analysed using light microscopy, histomorphometery and molecular markers of apoptosis., Results: In the cadaver limb model, LCP fixation prevented the significant changes in hoof-distal phalanx distance, coronary extensor process distance and sole depth that characterised DP displacement in untreated limbs (p < 0.05). Application of the construct in vivo was well tolerated with minimal lameness (10/12 horses were sound at the trot on day 8); however, histology revealed dorsal lamellar pathology consistent with laminitis, but with extensive keratinocyte apoptosis. Adjacent to the LCP, caspase-3 positive cell counts were approximately 20-fold higher than control (p < 0.001)., Main Limitations: Pathology was evaluated at a single time point. Microvascular perfusion was not evaluated., Conclusions: Rigid fixation of the DP to the hoof capsule was achieved with the LCP construct in a cadaver limb laminitis model. In live horses, LCP fixation caused regional lamellar pathology with extensive apoptosis, likely due to disturbed lamellar microvascular perfusion and/or mechanostasis. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for refinement of the technique in order to avoid iatrogenic lamellar damage., (© 2022 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Claw horn disruption lesions (CHDL) are a leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle, and the development, effect, and pathology of these lesions remains an open area of interest within dairy cattle health. Current literature typically attempts to measure the effect of risk factors on the development of CHDL over a relatively short time period. Further understanding of the interaction of CHDL and the long-term effect of early CHDL in a cow's life remains an important area of research which is so far mostly unexplored. In this study 57,974 cows from 1,332 herds were selected and their regular claw trimming records containing important claw health information were used to model the long-term effect of lesions in a cow's lifetime in a 6-state multistate model. A multistate model predicts the time before transition from any one state to another and the probability of transition to a future state. The 6 lesion states that were modeled were as follows: never had a lesion, first recorded lesion event, no recorded lesion after first lesion event, second or subsequent recorded lesion event, no recorded lesion after second or subsequent lesion event, and culled. The effect of various cow level covariates on the transition probabilities between various states was tested. For the first time, this study shows the importance and effect of the first lesion and other cow level factors on long-term claw health. Model results showed that the timing and severity of the first recorded lesion event significantly influenced the likelihood of a future lesion being present. Cows with CHDL present within the 180 d of first calving had a short-term increased risk and long-term decreased risk of a future lesion, compared with cows that present with CHDL later than 180 d of first lactation. Moreover, presence of a severe first lesion increased a cow's risk of a future lesion being present. The model was used to evaluate the relative difference between high-risk cows (age of first calving ≥793 d, breeding values in the lowest quartile) and low-risk cows (age of first calving ≤718 d, breeding values in the highest quartile). Our results indicated that these low-risk cows present with a lesion on an average 3 mo later than high-risk cows. Furthermore, results from the model evaluation of a simulated herd with cows with breeding values in the higher quartile indicated that cows present with a CHDL on an average 7.5 mo later compared with a herd where cows have breeding values distributed in a lower quartile., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Equine laminitis has both fascinated and frustrated veterinary researchers and clinicians for many years. The recognition that many ponies suffering from pasture-associated laminitis have an insulin-dysregulated phenotype (endocrinopathic laminitis, EL) and that prolonged insulin and glucose infusions can experimentally induce laminar pathology and functional failure are seminal discoveries in this field. Researchers have studied the molecular basis for disease pathogenesis in models of EL, sepsis-related laminitis and supporting limb laminitis and generated much data over the last 15 years. This review attempts to synthesise those data, drawing comparisons between models and naturally occurring laminitis. A hypothesis is proposed that the basal epithelial cell stress is a central event in each category of laminitis. Furthermore, in naturally occurring pasture-associated laminitis, pathways that predominate in each type of laminitis contribute to laminar lamellar pathology to varying extents. Based on the molecular mechanisms determined in experimental models, interactions between these pathways are identified., (© 2023 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Objective: To describe the causes and distribution of lameness in beef and dairy cattle presenting to either a primary care ambulatory or in-house clinical service at a veterinary teaching hospital., Sample: This retrospective clinical case study was conducted by reviewing hospital admissions of beef and dairy cattle seen by in-house or ambulatory clinicians at a veterinary teaching hospital from 2001 to 2021., Procedures: Final diagnosis was recorded and, when available, the affected limb, whether a lesion was localized to the digit, and the affected claw were also recorded. Data were stratified by location of initial evaluation (ambulatory vs in hospital), period of presentation, production class, age, sex, and whether the final diagnosis was infectious or noninfectious., Results: Overall, 2,220 animals met criteria for inclusion in the study. The most common diagnoses were noninfectious in nature and affected a hind limb more often than a forelimb. More than 82% of all cattle had lameness localized to the digit, with the lateral claw being affected more than 80% of the time., Clinical Relevance: Lameness is an important concern from both a humane and economic standpoint. The results of this study will help with the diagnosis and prevention of lameness in beef and dairy cattle of different ages and production classes.

Low-effort, reliable diagnostics of digital dermatitis (DD) are needed, especially for lesions warranting treatment, regardless of milking system or hygienic condition of the feet. The primary aim of this study was to test the association of infrared thermography (IRT) from unwashed hind feet with painful M2 lesions under farm conditions, with lesion detection as ultimate goal. Secondary objectives were to determine the association between IRT from washed feet and M2 lesions, and between IRT from unwashed and washed feet and the presence of any DD lesion. A total of 641 hind feet were given an M-score and IRT images of the plantar pastern were captured. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were done with DD status as dependent variable and maximum infrared temperature (IRTmax), lower leg cleanliness score and locomotion score as independent variables, and farm as fixed effect. To further our understanding of IRTmax within DD status, we divided IRTmax into two groups over the median value of IRTmax in the datasets of unwashed and washed feet, respectively, and repeated the multivariable logistic regression analyses. Higher IRTmax from unwashed hind feet were associated with M2 lesions or DD lesions, in comparison with feet without an M2 lesion or without DD, adjusted odds ratio 1.6 (95% CI 1.2-2.2) and 1.1 (95% CI 1.1-1.2), respectively. Washing of the feet resulted in similar associations. Dichotomization of IRTmax substantially enlarged the 95% CI for the association with feet with M2 lesions indicating that the association becomes less reliable. This makes it unlikely that IRTmax alone can be used for automated detection of feet with an M2 lesion. However, IRTmax can have a role in identifying feet at-risk for compromised foot health that need further examination, and could therefore function as a tool aiding in the automated monitoring of foot health on dairy herds., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Vanhoudt et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Data on the foot lesions of housed dairy goats, especially those that are not lame, is sparse. In this study, visits were made to four farms for whole herd locomotion scoring after milking and to observe routine foot trimming. During trimming, the amount of trimming required for each hoof was recorded, alongside the presence of lesions. The process was repeated at the next routine foot trim on three of the four farms (on Farm 1 whole herd locomotion scoring after milking was not feasible). Across both visits, 3445 locomotion scores were recorded, alongside 3850 trimming and lesion records. There were large differences between farms and visits in the proportion of lame goats (6.7 to 25.5%) and in the proportion of goats which needed a substantial trim of all four feet (15.1-33.1%). Hoof lesions were observed in 65.5% of trimmed goats. We defined lesions by their site and presence of separation and/or granuloma, with white line separation being the most commonly recorded lesion (41.5% of goats). On all visits on the three farms which were locomotion scored, the number of goats recorded as lame was lower than the number observed with white line lesions, but the relative proportion ranged from 17% to 95.4%. Separations were much more common than granulomas, as granulomas were usually accompanied by separation. Toe lesions were much more likely to be associated with granulomas than white line lesions, with 91.5% of toe separations having granulomas but only 10.6% of white line separations. This study provides useful baseline data for comparing lesions and locomotion scoring between goat herds but also identifies areas where we need more data and more consensus., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lameness is a symptom of a painful disorder affecting the limbs, which impacts dairy cow welfare and productivity. Lameness is primarily caused by hoof lesions. The prevalence of different lesion types can differ depending on environmental conditions and farm management practices. The aims of this observational study were to establish the cow-level and herd-level lesion prevalence during both housing and grazing periods in a partly housed, pasture-based system, establish the prevalence of lesions always associated with pain ("alarm" lesion), identify the lesions associated with a higher lameness score, determine relationships between lesions, and identify risk factors for digital dermatitis. On 98 farms during the grazing period and on 74 of the same farms during the housing period, every cow was lameness scored (0-3 lameness scoring scale), and the hind hooves of lame cows (score 2 and 3) were examined (maximum 20 cows per visit) and the prevalence of each lesion type recorded. To gather data on potential predictors for the risk factor analysis, a questionnaire with the farmer was conducted on lameness management practices and infrastructure measurements were taken at each visit. Cow-level data were also collected (e.g., parity, breed, milk yield, and so on). Noninfectious lesions were found to be more prevalent than infectious lesions in this system type. The most prevalent lesion types during both grazing and housing periods were white line separation, sole hemorrhages and overgrown claws; all remaining lesions had a cow-level prevalence of less than 15%. The cow-level prevalence of alarm lesions was 19% during the grazing period and 25% during the housing period; the most prevalent alarm lesion was sole ulcers during both periods. We found significantly more foreign bodies within the hoof sole (grazing = 14%, housing = 7%) and overgrown claws (grazing = 71%, housing = 55%) during the grazing period compared with the housing period. Cows with foul of the foot, sole ulcer, white line abscess, toe necrosis or an amputated claw had higher odds of being more severely lame, compared with mildly lame. The strongest correlation between lesions were between toe necrosis and digital dermatitis (r = 0.40), overgrown claws and corkscrew claws (r = 0.33), and interdigital hyperplasia and digital dermatitis (r = 0.31) at herd level. At the cow level, the strongest correlation was between overgrown claws and corkscrew claws (r = 0.27), and digital dermatitis and heel erosion (r = 0.22). The farmers' perception of the presence of digital dermatitis (and lameness) was significantly correlated with the actual presence of digital dermatitis recorded. Additional risk factors for the presence of digital dermatitis were cow track and verge width near the collecting yard, and stone presence on the cow tracks. Results from this study help further our understanding of the causes of lameness in partly housed, pasture-based dairy cows, and can be used to guide prevention and treatment protocols., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Infrared thermography (IRT) can measure a temperature change on the surface of objects, and is widely used as an inflammation or fever detection tool. The objective of this longitudinal study was to investigate the feasibility of detecting hoof lesion cattle using IRT under subtropical climate conditions. The experiment was conducted in two free-stall commercial dairy farms and 502 dairy cows participated between August 2020 and March 2022. Before hoof trimming, the portable IRT was used to measure the maximum temperature of each hoof from three shooting directions, including anterior (hoof coronary band), lateral (hoof lateral coronary band), and posterior (skin between heel and bulbs). In order to evaluate the effect of hoof lesions on the behavior of dairy cows, we also collected behavior data by automated accelerometers. The results indicated that the temperature of hooves with lesions was significantly higher than that of sound hooves in hot environments regardless of the shooting directions (P < 0.0001). In all of three shooting directions, the maximum temperature of feet with severe lesion was significantly higher than those of feet with mild lesion and sound feet (P < 0.05). Cows with lesion feet had lower daily activity and feeding time than sound cows before clinical diagnosis (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we used thresholds of both anterior hoof temperature at 32.05 °C and average daily activity at 410.5 (arbitrary unit/d) as a lame cow detecting tool. The agreement of this integrated tool reached 75% with clinical diagnosis, indicating that this integrated approach may be feasible for practice in dairy farm. In conclusion, IRT has the potential to be used as a hoof lesion detecting tool under subtropical climate conditions when using sound hoof temperature as reference points, and detection precision can be improved when IRT integrated with automated accelerometers as a lame cow detecting tool., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The digital cushion is linked to the development of claw horn lesions (CHL) in dairy cattle. The objectives of this study were to (1) estimate genetic parameters for digital cushion thickness (DCT), (2) estimate the genetic correlation between DCT and CHL, and (3) identify candidate genes associated with DCT. A cohort of 2,352 Holstein dairy cows were prospectively enrolled on 4 farms and assessed at 4 time points: before calving, immediately after calving, in early lactation, and in late lactation. At each time point, CHL was recorded by veterinary surgeons, and ultrasonographic images of the digital cushion were stored and retrospectively measured at 2 anatomical locations. Animals were genotyped and pedigree details extracted from the national database. Genetic parameters were estimated following a single-step approach implemented in AIREMLF90. Four traits were analyzed: the 2 DCT measurements, sole lesions (sole hemorrhage and sole ulcers), and white line lesions. All traits were analyzed with univariate linear mixed models; bivariate models were fit to estimate the genetic correlation between traits within and between time points. Single-marker and window-based genome-wide association analyses of DCT traits were conducted at each time point; candidate genes were mapped near (<0.2 Mb) or within the genomic markers or windows with the largest effects. Heritability estimates of DCT ranged from 0.14 to 0.44 depending on the location of DCT measurement and assessment time point. The genetic correlation between DCT and sole lesions was generally negative, notably between DCT immediately after calving and sole lesions in early or late lactation, and between DCT in early or late lactation and sole lesion severity in early or late lactation. Digital cushion thickness was not genetically correlated with white line lesions. A polygenic background to DCT was found; genes associated with inflammation, fat metabolism, and bone development were mapped near or within the top markers and windows. The moderate heritability of DCT provides an opportunity to use selective breeding to change DCT in a population. The negative genetic correlation between DCT and sole lesions at different stages of production lends support to current hypotheses of sole lesion pathogenesis. Highlighted candidate genes provide information regarding the complex genetic background of DCT in Holstein cows, but further studies are needed to explore and corroborate these findings., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Claw disorders are a major problem for health, welfare, and economy in dairy production. This retrospective observational study investigated the association between cow-level prevalence of claw horn disruptive lesions and two different trimming methods - the traditional Danish Method (DAM) and the White Line Atlas Method (WLAM). Trimming records from four herds in Denmark over a 4-year period were analysed. Within each herd, claw trimming was performed with the DAM for the first 2 years, and the WLAM for the next 2 years. The data comprised 3316 claw trimmings of 1027 cows with the WLAM and 3898 claw trimmings of 1080 cows with the DAM. The association between claw trimming method and claw lesions was determined using binominal logistic analysis. There were significant differences between trimming methods for sole haemorrhage (odds ratio = 0.44), sole ulcer (odds ratio = 0.42), and white line separation (odds ratio = 0.64), with a lower prevalence during the period of trimming with the WLAM. No significant difference between trimming methods could be found in the occurrence of white line abscess or double sole. The lower prevalence of claw horn disruption lesions found in this study when cows were trimmed with WLAM justifies and necessitates further experimental studies of claw trimming methods to validate these findings., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement None of the authors has any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Digital dermatitis (DD) is a contagious bovine foot disease causing painful lesions, lameness, and reduced animal welfare. Previous studies indicate a complex aetiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to compare DD negative and DD positive herds to identify factors associated with DD in Norwegian dairy herds by analysing data obtained in a questionnaire and data recorded in the Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording System (NDHRS). The questionnaire was e-mailed to the owners of all 380 herds recorded with DD in 2019 and to 1530 randomly selected herds with no recordings of DD. Altogether 559 dairy herds were included in the final study population, of which 113 was classified as DD positive (≥ one cow recorded with DD in NDHRS) and 446 as DD negative. When stratified by housing system, the ratio between DD positive and negative herds was 108/281 in free stalls and 5/165 in tie stalls. Multilevel logistic regression was used to model the association between potential risk factors and variables related to the detection and diagnosis of DD, and the outcome in the free-stall population. Geographical area (county) was included in the model as a random effect., Results: In the final study population 108/113 (96%) of the DD positive herds were housed in free stalls versus 5/113 (4%) in tie stalls. The free-stall herds' DD status was associated with purchase of cattle during the last 5 years (baseline: 0 animals, OR = 2.30 for category 12-27 animals, OR = 4.34 for 28-52 animals, and OR = 5.39 for  ≥ 53 animals). The DD status was also associated with claw trimming frequency (Baseline: 1 < 2/year, OR = 0.41 for category  < 1/year, and OR = 4.09 for  ≥ 3/year), whether the claw trimming was done by a certified professional trimmer or not (baseline:  ≤ 90% of the cows, OR = 3.98 for category  ≥ 90% of the cows), cleaning of feet in the chute before trimming (baseline: no cleaning, OR = 1.98 for category cleaning), and alley flooring (baseline: slatted floor, OR = 2.36 for category solid floor)., Conclusions: Digital dermatitis was far more frequent in Norwegian dairy herds housed in free stalls versus those housed in tie stalls. In the free-stall herds purchase of cattle, increasing trimming frequency, use of certified professional trimmer, cleaning of the feet in the chute, and solid flooring in the alleys were associated with increased odds of recorded DD., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: This study aimed to determine the association between the lameness advantage genetic index and four outcomes: sole haemorrhage (SH), sole ulcers (SU), white line lesions (WL), and lameness during mobility scoring., Methods: We enrolled 2352 Holstein cows from four predominantly housed dairy herds in the UK. Cows were mobility scored and foot lesions recorded at four time points from before calving to late lactation. Cows were genotyped and genetic indexes were assigned to each cow following national genetic evaluations. Lameness records and genetic indexes were matched for 2107 cows. Four separate multivariable logistic regression models, which included farm and parity as covariables, were used to quantify the association between the lameness advantage index and whether animals were affected by SH, SU, WL, or lameness., Results: The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for one-point increases in the lameness advantage index were 0.79 (0.72-0.86), 0.68 (0.59-0.78), 0.94 (0.84-1.04), and 0.82 (0.74-0.91) for SH, SU, WL, and lameness, respectively. The same trends were present when the sire's lameness advantage index was evaluated in place of the animal's own, although the strength of this association was generally weaker., Conclusion: The lameness advantage index is associated with SH, SU, and lameness, therefore selection on the lameness advantage index could be considered in herds aiming to reduce lameness. Where genomic testing of heifers is not conducted, sire lameness advantage index may still be effective to reduce SH and SU incidence., (© 2022 British Veterinary Association.)

Foot imbalance and malalignment of the digits are common in horses. Angle and distance measurements performed on bones, joints and hoof wall on radiographs provide essential guidance for precise corrective trimming and shoeing. This study aimed to investigate, if selected standing low-field magnetic resonance (MR) images can be used to accurately measure dorsopalmar and lateromedial foot conformation parameters in comparison to the radiographic gold standard. Images of 100 horses referred for standing low-field MR examination were selected. Foot conformation angles and distances were measured and compared between radiographs and MR images. Measurements from most imaging sources were significantly different from each other. Moderate to high correlation of foot conformation angles between radiographs and MR images in the lateromedial and dorsopalmar planes was found, with exception of the proximal interphalangeal joint angle, where there was only moderate agreement between radiographs and the 5-plane MR pilot (0.47, P < .001) and between radiographs and the 3-plane MR pilot (0.4, P < .001), respectively. Measurement of foot conformation parameters from low-field MR images should be used with caution in clinical practice and acquisition of current foot radiographs immediately before or after MR examination should be considered to facilitate precise trimming and shoeing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Laminitis is one of the most important and intractable diseases in dairy cows, which can lead to enormous economic losses. Although many scholars have conducted a large number of studies on laminitis, the therapeutic test of medicinal plants in vitro is really rare. Licochalcone A is proved to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. But the effect of licochalcone A on LPS-induced inflammatory claw dermal cells has not been discovered yet. In this study, the primary dairy cow claw dermal cells were treated with gradient concentrations of licochalcone A (1, 5, 10 µg/mL) in the presence of 10 µg/mL lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The results indicated that licochalcone A reduced the concentrations of inflammation mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), increased the activity of SOD, reduced the levels of MDA and ROS, downregulated the mRNA expressions of TLR4 and MyD88, suppressed the protein levels of p-IκBα and p-p65, and upregulated the protein expression of PPARγ. In summary, licochalcone A protected dairy cow claw dermal cells against LPS-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress through the regulation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and PPARγ signaling pathways., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Laminitis results in impaired tissue integrity and Inflammation of the epidermal and dermal lamellae connecting the hoof capsule to the underlying distal phalanx and causes loss-of-use, poor quality of life and euthanasia in horses. Historically, studies to better understand the etiology of laminitis by documenting changes in gene expression were hampered by the paucity of gene annotation specific to hoof tissues. Next-generation sequencing enables improvements to annotation by incorporating equine- and hoof-specific transcripts. Here we characterize the hoof lamellar tissue transcriptome of naturally occurring supporting limb laminitis (SLL) using archived lamellar tissue from Thoroughbred racehorses consisting of 13 SLL hospital cases and seven age-matched control horses. This was achieved using: 1) Applied transcriptome annotation by long-read sequencing to document transcript diversity and 2) short-read RNA sequencing to document changes in gene expression correlating to the developmental and acute stages of naturally occurring SLL. 1.99Gbp of long-read transcriptome sequencing deeply documented 5067 unique loci, while short read RNA-seq under very stringent quality filters described 66 differentially expressed loci. Functional analysis of these loci revealed alterations in cell replication and growth, stress response and leukocyte recruitment and activation pathways. Differential expression of the Ezrin and TIMP3 genes suggests they may have utility as biomarkers for laminitis disease, while NR1D1 and genes relevant to the inflammasome are promising targets for novel pharmacological treatments., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The equine hoof capsule, composed of modified epidermis and dermis, is vital for protecting the third phalanx from forces of locomotion. There are descriptions of laminitis, defined as inflammation of sensitive hoof tissues but recognized as pathologic changes with or without inflammatory mediators, in the earliest records of domesticated horses. Laminitis can range from mild to serious, and signs can be acute, chronic, or transition from acute, severe inflammation to permanently abnormal tissue. Damage within the intricate dermal and epidermal connections of the primary and secondary lamellae is often associated with lifelong changes in hoof growth, repair, and conformation. Decades of research contribute to contemporary standards of care that include systemic and local therapies as well as mechanical hoof support. Despite this, consistent mechanisms to restore healthy tissue formation following a laminitic insult are lacking. Endogenous and exogenous progenitor cell contributions to healthy tissue formation is established for most tissues. There is comparably little information about equine hoof progenitor cells. Equine hoof anatomy, laminitis, and progenitor cells are covered in this review. The potential of progenitor cells to advance in vitro equine hoof tissue models and translate to clinical therapies may significantly improve prevention and treatment of a devastating condition that has afflicted equine companions throughout history.

Laminitis is one of the most devastating diseases in equine medicine, and although several etiopathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed, few clear answers have been identified to date. Several lines of evidence point towards its underlying pathology as being metabolism-related. In the carbonyl stress pathway, sugars are converted to methylglyoxal (MG)-a highly reactive α-oxoaldehyde, mainly derived during glycolysis in eukaryotic cells from the triose phosphates: D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. One common hypothesis is that MG could be synthesized during the digestive process in horses, and excessive levels absorbed into peripheral blood could be delivered to the foot and lead to alterations in the hoof lamellar structure. In the present study, employing an ex vivo experimental design, different concentrations of MG were applied to hoof explants (HE), which were then incubated and maintained in a specific medium for 24 and 48 h. Macroscopic and histological analyses and a separation force test were performed at 24 and 48 h post-MG application. Gene expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -14 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 were also measured at each time point for all experimental conditions. High concentrations of MG induced macroscopic and histological changes mimicking laminitis. The separation force test revealed that hoof tissue samples incubated for 24 h in a high concentration of MG, or with lower doses but for a longer period (48 h), demonstrated significant weaknesses, and samples were easily separated. All results support that high levels of MG could induce irreversible damage in HEs, mimicking laminitis in an ex vivo model., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This study presents a novel approach to use claw disorders in cattle as a retrospective welfare indicator characterized at the abattoir. A total of 1040 cattle (2080 front and back left claws) were analyzed from 143 batches, originating from feedlots, free-range, and dairy systems. Our results indicate that abnormal claw shapes (>55%) and fissures of the claw wall (>25%) had the highest prevalence, regardless of the system of origin. For the seven types of lesions monitored, numerous associations were found between lesions in the front and rear limbs typical of each production system. Ultimate meat pH was higher in animals with white line disease and skin wounds in feedlot and free-range cattle. We conclude that claw disorders can be used as an iceberg indicator to provide valuable information about animal fitness, and the ability to cope with the husbandry and pre-slaughter environment. These indicators can be used to improve the level of welfare of the animals., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Metabolic consequences of an energy and protein rich diet can compromise metabolic health of cattle by promoting a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Laminitis is a common clinical sign, but affected metabolic pathways, underlying pathophysiology and causative relationships of a systemic pro-inflammatory phenotype are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate changes in metabolome profiles of 20 months old Holstein bulls fed a high energy and protein diet and to identify novel metabolites and affected pathways, associated with diet-related laminitis. In a randomized controlled feeding trial using bulls fed a high energy and protein diet (HEP; metabolizable energy [ME] intake 169.0 ± 1.4 MJ/day; crude protein [CP] intake 2.3 ± 0.02 kg/day; calculated means ± SEM; n = 15) versus a low energy and protein diet (LEP; ME intake 92.9 ± 1.3 MJ/day; CP intake 1.0 ± 0.01 kg/day; n = 15), wide ranging effects of HEP diet on metabolism were demonstrated with a targeted metabolomics approach using the AbsoluteIDQ p180 kit (Biocrates Life Sciences). Multivariate statistics revealed that lower concentrations of phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins and higher concentrations of lyso-phosphatidylcholines, branched chain amino acids and aromatic amino acids were associated with an inflammatory state of diet-related laminitis in Holstein bulls fed a HEP diet. The latter two metabolites share similarities with changes in metabolism of obese humans, indicating a conserved pathophysiological role. The observed alterations in the metabolome provide further explanation on the underlying metabolic consequences of excessive dietary nutrient intake.

Inflammation and apoptosis in the hoof lamellar interface both contribute to the early stages of sepsis-associated laminitis, but it is not clear whether apoptosis is occurring before the onset of inflammation or is being provoked by inflammation. Apoptosis and inflammation were therefore measured in lamellar tissues obtained at different time points throughout the early stages of experimentally induced laminitis. Apoptotic cells and leukocyte were enumerated in archived paraffin embedded lamellar tissue samples from previous experiments in which acute laminitis was induced using Black Walnut Extract (BWE) or starch (CHO). BWE-derived samples from 20 horses were allocated into four groups: Control (CON = 5); Early Time Point (ETP, 1.5 h after induction, n = 5); Developmental Time Point (DTP, 3-4 h after induction, n = 5); Obel Grade 1 (OG1, Onset of Lameness, n = 5). CHO-derived samples from 25 horses were allocated into four groups: CON (n = 8); DTP (10-12 h after induction, n = 6); OG 1 (n = 6); Obel 3 (OG3, lameness progression, n = 5). Apoptotic cells were enumerated using a horse validated TUNEL technique. Compared to controls, significant increases in apoptotic cell counts were not detected in lamellar epithelial cells during the developmental phase or at the onset of lameness during laminitis induction. A negative correlation between apoptosis and leukocyte infiltration was detected in the BWE model (P < 0.05). In conclusion, apoptosis does not play an important role in the initial stages of sepsis-related laminitis., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Herd medicine is a field of buiatrics characterized by regular and systematic visits by the veterinarian to improve the health and performance of the animals, the quality of animal products and finally the satisfaction of the farm staff. Internationally established key indicators, such as age at first calving, heat recognition rate or the percentage of cows with clinical mastitis per month (%),26 have been available for a long time in the areas of fertility and udder health. These key indicators help veterinarians to recognize and define health problems at herd level at an early stage and to work out measures for their improvement. Such key indicators are currently lacking in the field of claw health, hence making standardized identification of problem farms considerably more difficult. Considering the permanent negative influence of claw health problems on fertility, performance and overall animal welfare, it becomes clear how valuable claw health indicators will be in the future. The aim of this study was, therefore, to develop both primary and secondary indicators of claw health and to define corresponding limit values for Switzerland. Based on a literature search, several primary and secondary indicators were developed (1˚K: Herd problem Yes/No, 2˚K: Classification of the problem). These were discussed in an expert panel consisting of practicing veterinarians, staff of the Swiss bovine herd health service and university professors with regard to their possible practical implementation and relevance. Finally, 3 primary and 10 secondary indicators were judged to be suitable to assess a herd with regard to claw health. The primary key indicators were: proportion of cows leaving the herd due to a claw problem, proportion of lame cows of a herd, and proportion of cattle with at least one claw disease. The corresponding provisional limit values (exceeding the value = problem) for Switzerland were worked out by means of surveys among farmers, hoof trimmers, veterinary students and veterinarians. In addition, recommendations from the literature and current prevalence studies were used to adapt the defined limit values to the situation on Swiss farms. In the coming years, the claw health project «Gesunde Klauen - das Fundament für die Zukunft» will collect current prevalence values of claw diseases, and the limit values will then be adjusted and specified accordingly.

Background: Endocrinopathic, or hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis (HAL) is a common and debilitating equine foot disease, and although no pharmacological treatments are registered, several are under development. To evaluate the effect of such treatments, an accurate and consistent method is needed to track the clinical signs of laminitis over time, and the natural history of the disease, in terms of a 'normal' pattern of improvement, needs to be understood. This study examined the improvement pattern in clinical cases of naturally-occurring HAL subjected to a range of best-practice interventions, using two different scoring methods. Eighty horses and ponies with suspected HAL were enrolled in a study conducted at 16 veterinary practices across Germany. The severity of laminitis was assessed by independent veterinarians using both the traditional Obel method and a modified Obel method developed by Meier and colleagues. Assessments were made on the day of diagnosis (d 0), then on days 4, 9, 14, 25 and 42 during the intervention period. Pain medications were withheld for 24 h prior to clinical examination in all cases., Results: Time to marked improvement from laminitis varied between individuals, but was difficult to monitor accurately using the Obel method, with the median grade being 2/4 on days 0 and 4, then 0/4 from d 9 onwards. More subtle changes could be identified using the Meier method, however, and the median scores were seen to follow the form of an exponential decay model in most horses, improving from 8/12 on d 0, to 0/12 on d 25. Within this composite scoring method, considerable variation was observed in the rate of improvement of individual clinical signs, with the average time taken for each sign to reach a median score of 0 ranging from 4 days (foot lift and weight shifting) to 25 days (gait when turned in a circle) across all 80 horses., Conclusions: The Meier method provides a reliable and consistent method for monitoring the clinical status of horses with HAL, and despite the variability, the pattern of improvement described here should provide a useful benchmark against which individual cases and new treatments can be assessed.

The etiopathogenesis of bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is not well understood, but its risk factors on dairy farms have been studied extensively. The objective of this study was to identify associations between a DD risk score [determined by a DD risk assessment questionnaire (RAQ)] and DD prevalence (determined by an in-parlor M-score). We also investigated whether feedback for farmers on their DD management using the DD RAQ resulted in changes that decreased DD prevalence in their herds. The DD RAQ consisted of multiple-choice questions related to foot health, housing, and general management that were used to create a total risk score (TRS). In 2016 and 2018, the DD RAQ-together with a DD prevalence determination in the lactating herd-was used on 19 Dutch dairy farms from 1 veterinary practice. After each visit, farmers and their consulting veterinarians received a 1-page summary that identified herd-specific strengths and weaknesses in DD management. In 2018, the summary included suggestions for improvement. In 2019, farmers and veterinarians were contacted to ask whether the use of the DD RAQ and the 1-page summary had led them to implement changes in their DD management in 2016 and 2018. We tested the association between TRS and DD prevalence using linear mixed model analysis. The TRS ranged from 13 to 65% and 20 to 68% in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Herd DD prevalence ranged from 15 to 59% and 27 to 69% in 2016 and 2018, respectively. For both years, the DD RAQ identified that DIM, herd size, and breed were often present in a manner associated with increased risk for DD. The linear mixed model analysis identified that each 10-point increase in TRS was associated with an increase in herd DD prevalence of less than 1%. The association between TRS and herd DD prevalence was caused mainly by risk factors related to housing. We found no important relationship between change in TRS and change in DD prevalence between the 2 visits. Only a few farmers indicated some form of change in their DD management following a visit. Veterinarians in general said that they discussed the 1-page summaries and DD control with farmers during a routine visit, but the majority admitted a lack of follow-up. We propose that the DD RAQ could be used as a tool to start a discussion on DD control on farm, but simply undertaking a DD RAQ and providing a 1-page summary of the results was insufficient to initiate behavioral change that led to a decrease in DD prevalence., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Although foot pain can affect gait, the presence of a hoof lesion may or may not cause the cow to show visible changes in their gait. This can be dependent on the type and severity of the lesion; for example, the presence of a sole ulcer (SU) has been associated with increased gait scores, whereas digital dermatitis (DD) and sole hemorrhage (SH) have not. In tiestall facilities, gait scoring can be difficult to perform. An alternative method, known as stall lameness scoring (SLS), allows observers to assess cattle for lameness while they remain in their stall. Lameness is determined based on behavioral changes in weight bearing and foot positioning, which include: shifting weight, resting a foot, standing on the edge of the stall, and uneven weight bearing when stepping side to side. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between hoof lesions and these behavioral indicators. A total of 557 observations of SLS and corresponding hoof trimming records, collected during routine trimming events on 7 tiestall herds, were obtained. Trimming was performed by 2 trained hoof trimmers with good agreement on lesion identification, based on quizzes taken at the beginning and mid-way through the study. To ensure trimming had no effect on the behavioral indicators observed, SLS was always performed by a trained observer before trimming. Behavioral indicators focused on the hind limbs only; therefore, the analysis was confined to hind limb lesions using logistic regression to detect the presence of hoof lesion based on observations made during SLS. Seventy-five percent of observed cows had no SLS behavioral indicators, whereas, 11, 12, and 1% had 1, 2, and 3 behavioral indicators, respectively. At least one hind limb lesion was noted during trimming in 19% of cows, with the most common lesions being DD (7%), SU (6%), and SH (4%). A cow that was observed resting one foot and bearing weight unevenly when moving side to side had higher odds of having a hind limb hoof lesion than a cow not displaying these behaviors. When looking at specific hoof lesions, a cow observed resting one limb and bearing weight unevenly had higher odds of having a SU compared with those not displaying these behaviors. A cow observed shifting their weight from one foot to another had higher odds of having SH, and a cow observed bearing weight unevenly had higher odds of DD. Behavioral indicators in weight bearing and foot positioning can help identify cows in tiestalls with hind limb hoof lesions. Producers could routinely observe their cattle for these indicators to assist in the identification of cows that may require treatment. This could help reduce the duration of clinical lameness through earlier intervention., (Copyright © 2021 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)