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Many disorders affect the equine foot, and many hoof problems have multiple predisposing causes. Surgery may be necessary after conservative management has failed. Diseases of the hoof capsule may seem simple, but their effect on performance can be long-lasting and healing is often prolonged. Diagnosis of problems within the hoof capsule is enhanced with the use of computed tomography and MRI. The prognosis of fractures has improved with strategic placement of lag screws across fracture planes using aiming devices and advanced intraoperative imaging techniques. Collaboration between the clinician and a skilled farrier is important for successful management of hoof disorders.

The project «Healthy claws - the foundation for the future» aims to establish a Swiss national claw health monitoring based on digital recordings by claw trimmers during claw trimming. To assess claw health on the participating farms, between-herd prevalence, within-herd prevalence and cow prevalence of all claw disorders based on the «ICAR Claw Health Atlas» were calculated during this study. Claw trimmers underwent an intensive training and examination in order to ensure data quality. To guarantee the representativity of the prevalences, only farm claw trimmings were considered, where ≥ 80 % of the cows in a herd were trimmed. The calculations were based on 7108 cows and 403 heifers from 238 farms, during the period from February 2020 to February 2021. At least one claw disorder was present in 99,2 % of the farms, with 49,6 % of the heifers and 77,7 % of the cows having at least one claw disorder. The high prevalence is seen as a result of all ICAR claw disorders being considered, whereas not all of them are painful and consequently not all of them cause lameness. The absence of lameness assessment limits the evaluation of existing herd problems. High between-herd and cow prevalences were observed for the following claw disorders: heel horn erosion (92,9 %/64,7 %), digital dermatitis (55,9 %/20,7 %), white line disease (81,5 %/17,7 %) and sole hemorrhage (66,4 %/11,6 %). Asymmetric claws, corkscrew claws, scissor claws, horn fissure, interdigital phlegmon, swelling of the coronet and/or bulb and toe necrosis had low prevalences. The proportion of cows treated with a hoof block (0,5 %) was comparatively small in regard of the cows suffering from ulcers (5,6 %) and white line abscesses (2,5 %). The median within-herd prevalence of digital dermatitis was 5,6 %, with a maximal within-herd prevalence of 87,5 %. Despite the contagious nature of digital dermatitis, no increase of between-herd and cow prevalence has been observed in the past ten years throughout Switzerland. Based on this data, the Swiss claw health situation can be monitored, compared over time and improved in the future.Im Projekt «Gesunde Klauen – das Fundament für die Zukunft» wird ein schweizweites Klauengesundheitsmonitoring auf Basis der digitalen Dokumentation der Klauenpflege durch Klauenpfleger umgesetzt. Um die Klauengesundheit der teilnehmenden Betriebe zu evaluieren, wurden in der vorliegenden Studie inter-Herden-, in­- tra-Herden- und Kuhprävalenzen aller Klauenveränderungen gemäss «ICAR Atlas der Klauengesundheit» berechnet. Für die Gewährleistung der Datenerhebungsqualität erfolgte eine intensive Ausbildung und Prüfung der Klauenpfleger. Um die Repräsentativität der Prävalenzen sicherzustellen, wurden nur Betriebsklauenpflegen berücksichtigt, bei denen ≥ 80 % der Kühe einer Herde gepflegt wurden. Die Berechnungen erfolgten anhand von 7108 Kühen und 403 Rindern in 238 Betrieben, über einen Zeitraum von Februar 2020 bis Februar 2021. Bei 99,2 % der Betriebe war mindestens eine Klauenveränderung vorhanden, wobei 49,6 % der Rinder und 77,7 % der Kühe eine Klauenveränderung aufwiesen. Die hohe Prävalenz ergibt sich aus der Berücksichtigung aller ICAR Klauenveränderungen, von welchen nicht alle schmerzhaft sind und folglich nicht alle Lahmheiten verursachen. Durch das Fehlen einer Lahmheitserhebung ist die Evaluierung von vorliegenden Bestandesproblemen eingeschränkt. Hohe inter-Herden- sowie Kuhprävalenzen zeigten sich für die Erkrankungen Ballenhornfäule (92,9 %/64,7 %), Dermatitis digitalis (55,9 %/20,7 %), Weisse-Linie-Erkrankung (81,5 %/17,7 %) und für Sohlenblutungen (66,4 %/11,6 %). Niedrige Prävalenzen wurden für Ungleiche Klauen, Rollklauen, Scherenklauen, Hornkluft/-spalt, sowie Zwischenklauenphlegmone, Schwellung des Kronsaums und/oder des Ballens und Sohlenspitzennekrose verzeichnet. Verhältnismässig gering war der Anteil mit Klotz behandelter Kühe (0,5 %) im Verhältnis zu Kühen mit Klauengeschwüren (5,6 %) und Weisse-Linie-Abszessen (2,5 %). Der Median der intra-Herdenprävalenz von Dermatitis digitalis lag bei 5,6 %, die maximale intra-Herdenprävalenz bei 87,5 %. Trotz der Kontagiösität von Dermatitis digitalis wurde in den letzten zehn Jahren schweizweit keine Steigerung der inter-Herden- und Kuhprävalenz beobachtet. Auf Basis dieser Daten kann die Schweizer Klauengesundheitssituation überwacht, über die Jahre verglichen und künftig verbessert werden.Le projet « Des onglons sains-de bon pied vers l’avenir » vise à établir une surveillance nationale suisse de la santé des onglons basée sur des enregistrements numériques effectués par des ongleurs pendant le parage des onglons. Pour évaluer la santé des onglons dans les exploitations participantes, la prévalence entre les troupeaux, la prévalence au sein du troupeau et la prévalence chez les vaches de tous les troubles des onglons sur la base de l’ « ICAR Claw Health Atlas » ont été calculées au cours de cette étude. Les ongleurs ont subi une formation et un examen intensifs afin de garantir la qualité des données. Afin de garantir la représentativité des prévalences, seuls ont été considérés les parages d’exploitations où ≥ 80% des vaches du troupeau ont été parées. Les calculs ont été basés sur 7108 vaches et 403 génisses de 238 élevages, au cours de la période de février 2020 à février 2021. Au moins une lésion des onglons était présente dans 99,2 % des élevages, avec 49,6 % des génisses et 77,7 % des vaches présentant au moins une lésion. La prévalence élevée est considérée comme le résultat de toutes les lésions selon ICAR, alors que toutes ne sont pas douloureuses et par conséquent ne provoquent pas toute de boiterie. L’absence d’évaluation de la boiterie limite l’évaluation des problèmes de troupeau existants. Des prévalences élevées entre les troupeaux et les vaches ont été observées pour les lésions des onglons suivantes : érosion de la corne du talon (92,9%/64,7%), dermatite digitale (55,9%/20,7%), maladie de la ligne blanche (81,5 %/17,7%) et hémorragie de la sole (66,4%/11,6%). Les onglons asymétriques, les onglons en tire-bouchon, les onglons en ciseaux, la fissure de la corne, le phlegmon interdigital, le gonflement de la couronne et/ou la nécrose de la pince avaient de faibles prévalences. La proportion de vaches traitées avec un sabot (0,5 %) était comparativement faible par rapport aux vaches souffrant d’ulcères (5,6%) et d’abcès de la ligne blanche (2,5%). La prévalence médiane intra-troupeau de dermatite digitale était de 5,6%, avec une prévalence intra-troupeau maximale de 87,5%. Malgré le caractère contagieux de la dermatite digitale, aucune augmentation de la prévalence entre troupeaux et vaches n’a été observée au cours des dix dernières années dans toute la Suisse. Sur la base de ces données, la situation sanitaire des onglons en Suisse peut être surveillée, comparée dans le temps et améliorée à l’avenir.Nel progetto «Zoccoli sani – un’ottima base per il futuro», si vuole implementare un monitoraggio della salute degli zoccoli in tutta la Svizzera basato sulla documentazione digitale della cura degli zoccoli da parte dei tagliatori degli zoccoli. Al fine di valutare la salute degli zoccoli delle aziende partecipanti, nel presente studio sono state calcolate le prevalenze tra le mandrie, all’interno delle mandrie e delle vacche di tutti i cambiamenti degli zoccoli secondo l’”Atlante ICAR delle lesioni podali del bovino”. Per garantire la qualità della raccolta dei dati, si è svolta un’intensa attività di formazione e di valutazione dei tagliatori di zoccoli. Per garantire la rappresentatività delle prevalenze, sono stati presi in considerazione per lo studio, solo i tagliatori per le aziende, che si sono occupati del ≥ 80% delle vacche di una mandria. I calcoli sono stati effettuati utilizzando 7108 mucche e 403 bovini provenienti da 238 aziende, in un periodo che si situa tra febbraio 2020 e febbraio 2021. Nel 99,2% delle aziende è stata individuata almeno una lesione agli zoccoli di cui il 49,6% dei bovini e il 77,7% delle mucche avevano una lesione agli zoccoli. L’alta prevalenza risulta dalla considerazione di tutte le lesioni dello zoccolo secondo ICAR, di cui non tutte sono dolorose e quindi non causano zoppia. La mancanza di un’indagine sulla zoppia limita la valutazione dei problemi esistenti nella mandria. Sono state riscontrate alte prevalenze tra mandrie e vacche per l’erosione del corno dei talloni (92,9%/64,7%), la dermatite digitale (55,9%/20,7%), la malattia della fessura della linea bianca (81,5%/17,7%) e il sanguinamento della punta (66,4%/11,6%). Basse prevalenze sono state registrate per gli unghioni irregolari, gli unghioni a cavatappi, gli unghioni a forbice, la fessura orizzontale del corno, la fessura verticale del corno, così come il flemmone interdigitale, la tumefazione della corona e/o del bulbo e la necrosi della punta. La percentuale di mucche trattate con blocco dello zoccolo (0,5%) è stata relativamente bassa rispetto agli animali affetti da ulcere degli unghioni (5,6%) e ascessi della linea bianca (2,5%). La prevalenza mediana intra-allevamento della dermatite digitale era del 5,6% e la massima prevalenza intra-allevamento era dell’ 87,5%. Nonostante la natura contagiosa della dermatite digitale, negli ultimi dieci anni in Svizzera non è stato osservato alcun aumento della prevalenza tra le mandrie e tra le vacche. Sulla base di questi dati, la situazione della salute degli zoccoli in Svizzera può essere monitorata, confrontata negli anni e migliorata in futuro.

The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate scientific publications on cattle foot and claw diseases using the Scopus database. A combination of keywords "hoof disease AND bovine OR cattle OR cow" was used. Publications were classified according to the type, language, subject area, source title, author, affiliation, and country/territory. The documents were grouped later into thematic topics. The diseases evaluated in each study were quantified separately and in related groups, and distributed by decades. The frequencies of the thematic topics and diseases were compared by the chi-square test for adherence. In total, 642 publications were analyzed (595 articles, 46 reviews, and 1 note). Most of these papers were written in English (518). The main subject areas were Veterinary; Agricultural and Biological Sciences; and Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology. Journal of Dairy Science was the journal that published most articles in the area, with the best citations (SCImago Journal Rank = 1.21). The authors with the highest number of publications were Johann Kofler with 19, and David Nixon Logue and Jan Keith Shearer with 18 documents each. By affiliation, the institution with the highest number of publications was the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. By country or territory, the United States of America (22%), the United Kingdom (17%), Germany (11%), and Canada (10%) together accounted for 60% of the publications. The classification of the documents into thematic topics resulted in four groups: Specific hoof diseases (70%), General hoof diseases (14%), Lameness (11%), and Healthy hoof characterization (5%). Eighteen foot and claw diseases have been studied, with the following being the most frequent: digital dermatitis (17%), sole ulcer (15%), and white line disease (11%). When grouped, laminitis-related diseases represented 48% and infectious diseases represented 38% of the studies. Overall, just over half a century of research on cattle foot and claw diseases, bovine digital dermatitis is the most studied disease. Grouping related disorders revealed that laminitis-related diseases are being studied more than infectious diseases since the 1980s, from when studies on individual foot diseases in cattle increased to the detriment of studies that aimed to evaluate them as a unique problem. Our study, the first scientometric analysis in the subject area, compiles valuable information that can help researchers to develop future projects. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar quantitativamente as publicações científicas acerca das doenças podais bovinas na base de dados SCOPUS. Foi utilizada a combinação das palavras-chave “hoof disease AND bovine OR cattle OR cow”. As publicações foram classificadas de acordo com o tipo, idioma, área temática, periódico científico, autoria, filiação, e país/território. Os documentos foram agrupados em tópicos temáticos a posteriori. As doenças estudadas em cada paper foram quantificadas isoladamente e em grupos relacionados, e distribuídas por décadas. As frequências foram comparadas por teste qui-quadrado para aderência. 642 publicações foram analisadas (595 artigos, 92.6%; 46 revisões, 7.2%; e uma nota, 0.2%). A maioria dos documentos foi escrita em Inglês (518/81%). As principais áreas temáticas foram: Veterinária (394); Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas (257); e Bioquímica, Genética e Biologia Molecular (131). O Journal of Dairy Science é o periódico que mais publicou artigos na área (123) e também possui as melhores citações (SJR = 1.21). Os autores com maior número de publicações foram Johann Kofler, com 19 documentos, e David Nixon Logue e Jan Keith Shearer, com 18 documentos cada. Segundo a filiação dos documentos, a instituição com o maior número de publicações foi a Universidade Sueca de Ciências Agrárias. Por país ou território, Estados Unidos da América (22%), Reino Unido (17%), Alemanha (11%) e Canadá (10%) representaram juntos 60% das publicações. A classificação dos documentos por tópicos temáticos resultou em quatro tópicos: doenças podais específicas (70%), doenças podais gerais (14%), claudicação (11%) e caracterização do casco saudável (5%). Dezoito doenças podais foram estudadas, sendo as mais frequentes: dermatite digital (17%), úlcera de sola (15%) e doença da linha branca (11%). Quando agrupadas, as doenças relacionadas à laminite representaram 48% e as doenças infecciosas 38% das doenças estudadas. Pode-se concluir que em pouco mais de meio século de pesquisas sobre doenças podais bovinas, a dermatite digital bovina é a doença mais estudada. Agrupando-se desordens relacionadas, as doenças relacionadas à laminite são mais estudadas do que as doenças infecciosas desde a década de 1980, a partir de quando as doenças podais em bovinos passaram a ser mais estudadas individualmente em detrimento aos estudos que objetivavam estudá-las como uma problemática única. Esta foi a primeira análise cienciométrica aplicada às publicações científicas acerca das doenças podais bovinas, compilando informação valiosa para auxiliar pesquisadores no desenvolvimento de projetos futuros.

This article provides a review of hoof anatomy and care in donkeys and mules. Hoof disease is a major cause of poor welfare and mortality globally. Problems associated with hoof disease are discussed in the context of behavior, diet, treatment, and prevention. The most common conditions encountered are discussed, including laminitis, the overgrown unbalanced hoof, white line disease, flexural deformities, and other significant issues. Differences between donkey and horse hoof anatomy are described.

The objectives of this study were to investigate temperature distribution at the sheep hoof and evaluate the reliability and diagnostic performance of infrared thermography (IRT) for the detection of footrot and white line disease (WLD) lesions in intensively reared dairy sheep. Hoof lesions were clinically assessed, and IRT was used to measure temperature distribution on hoof superficial tissue in 600 multiparous ewes. Binary regression models were developed and validated, and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated to assess the predictive value and diagnostic performance of IRT for the detection of hoof lesions. The most sensitive prediction model for the detection of IFR was based on the difference between ambient and hoof heel temperature (sensitivity: 83.3%, specificity: 47.8%, and threshold value: 6.5 °C), whereas the most specific prediction model was based on the difference between ambient and coronary band temperature (sensitivity: 51.9%, specificity: 79.7%, and threshold value: 11.3 °C). In the case of WLD, the diagnostic performance of IRT had limited predictive value. IRT could be a useful tool for hoof health screening in dairy sheep. However, it must be cautiously adapted in cases where environmental, operating, and operator variables are not effectively controlled.

Sole ulcers (SUs) and white line disease (WLD) are two common noninfectious claw lesions (NICL) that arise due to a compromised horn production and are frequent causes of lameness in dairy cattle, imposing welfare and profitability concerns. Low to moderate heritability estimates of SU and WLD susceptibility indicate that genetic selection could reduce their prevalence. To identify the susceptibility loci for SU, WLD, SU and/or WLD, and any type of noninfectious claw lesion, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) regression, chunk-based association testing (CBAT), and a random forest (RF) approach. Cows from five commercial dairies in California were classified as controls having no lameness records and ≥6 years old (n = 102) or cases having SU (n = 152), WLD (n = 117), SU and/or WLD (SU + WLD, n = 198), or any type of noninfectious claw lesion (n = 217). The top single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were defined as those passing the Bonferroni-corrected suggestive and significance thresholds in the GLMM analysis or those that a validated RF model considered important. Effects of the top SNPs were quantified using Bayesian estimation. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks defined by the top SNPs were explored for candidate genes and previously identified, functionally relevant quantitative trait loci. The GLMM and CBAT approaches revealed the same regions of association on BTA8 for SU and BTA13 common to WLD, SU + WLD, and NICL. These SNPs had effects significantly different from zero, and the LD blocks they defined explained a significant amount of phenotypic variance for each dataset (6.1–8.1%, p < 0.05), indicating the small but notable contribution of these regions to susceptibility. These regions contained candidate genes involved in wound healing, skin lesions, bone growth and mineralization, adipose tissue, and keratinization. The LD block defined by the most significant SNP on BTA8 for SU included a SNP previously associated with SU. The RF models were overfitted, indicating that the SNP effects were very small, thereby preventing meaningful interpretation of SNPs and any downstream analyses. These findings suggested that variants associated with various physiological systems may contribute to susceptibility for NICL, demonstrating the complexity of genetic predisposition.

Our first objective was to estimate the prevalence of foot lesions by type of milking system in dairy cows examined during regular hoof-trimming sessions between 2015 and 2018 in Quebec dairy herds. A secondary objective was to describe the effect of day-to-day variation, cow, and herd characteristics on the prevalence of foot lesions. Data included 52,427 observations (on a cow during a specific trimming session) performed on 28,470 cows (≥2 yr old) from 355 herds. Only observations from trimming sessions in which ≥90% of the lactating herd was trimmed were considered. Lesions were recorded at the hoof level by 17 trained hoof trimmers between March 23, 2015, and July 10, 2018, using a computerized recording system. Hoof-level information was then matched with cow information and centralized at the Eastern Canada Dairy Herd Improvement. Foot lesions were classified into 6 categories: infectious, white line disease, heel erosion, ulcers, hemorrhages, and any type of foot lesions. Prevalence of each outcome was quantified using the marginal predicted mean probability estimated from a null generalized linear mixed model with a logit link, and accounted for clustering of observations by cow and by herd. Variance was partitioned to assess the variation in the probability of the outcomes attributable to each level of the data structure (day of exam, cow, and herd). Prevalence of a given foot lesion as function of milking system and of various explanatory variables (mean herd size, herd average daily production, breed of the cow, age of the cow at trimming, and year of the visit) was then estimated using a generalized linear mixed model. At least 1 foot lesion was observed in 29% of cows examined during regular trimming sessions in Quebec from 2015 to 2018. Prevalence for any type of lesion was 27% for pipeline, 38% for robotic milking, and 41% for milking parlors. The highest prevalence of infectious lesions (mainly digital dermatitis) was observed in milking parlors and robotic systems, while the most prevalent lesions in pipeline were hemorrhages. Herd-level factors explained most of the disease probability for infectious diseases, heel erosion, and hemorrhages. Therefore, control of these diseases should be based on applying best herd-management practices. On the other hand, probabilities of white line disease and sole ulcers were mainly determined by cow-level characteristics.

The objective of this observational prospective study was to evaluate the association between lameness (caused by five groups hoof lesions) milk yield and reproductive performance in primiparous lactating Holstein cows housed in open-lot, dirt (dry) floor pens in a hot environment. The effect of age at first calving and season of calving on the occurrence of five hoof lesions was also determined. Data analysis of 2039 cows was conducted, including 385 cows that became lame (cases), and 1697 non-lame cows (controls). The percentage of affected cows by group of lesion was 6.9% for digital dermatitis, 4.0% for abscessed claws, 3.1% for hoof horn diseases (sole hemorrhage, sole ulcer and white line disease), 2.3% for infectious pododermatitis and 1.7 for laminitis. More than one-foot lesion occurred in 28.2% of the lame cows during their first lactation. Cows that calved in spring presented higher incidence (P

The objective of this study was to collect information regarding hoof care professionals' billing practices and to gather their opinions about foot disorders and the value of their prevention. Responses were gathered from veterinarians (n = 18) and hoof trimmers (n = 116) through both online and paper survey platforms. Because of the limited number of respondents, veterinarian responses were not further analyzed. Of the 6 foot disorders included in the survey, the treatment cost per case was greatest for toe ulcers (mean ± standard deviation; $20.2 ± 8.5), sole ulcers ($19.7 ± 8.6), white line disease ($19.5 ± 8.1), and thin soles ($18.1 ± 8.1), and least for infectious disorders (foot rot and digital dermatitis; $8.0 ± 7.6 and $7.5 ± 9.6, respectively). Of the disorders, digital dermatitis represented most of the foot disorder cases treated by respondents over the past year (43.9 ± 20.4%), whereas toe ulcers and thin soles represented the least (5.3 ± 4.1 and 5.3 ± 5.7%, respectively). Respondents that served mostly large herds (>500 lactating cows) reported a lower prevalence of digital dermatitis (31.6 ± 4.2 vs. 44.4 ± 3.4 and 46.7 ± 3.2% in small and medium herds, respectively) and a higher prevalence of sole ulcers (23.1 ± 3.0 vs. 13.4 ± 2.4 and 13.3 ± 2.3% in small and medium herds, respectively). Region of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, or other) also influenced foot disorder prevalence; respondents from the Northeast reported more sole ulcers than respondents from other regions (22.1 ± 2.3 vs. 12.4 ± 3.3%). When respondents were asked which disorder was associated with the greatest total cost per case to the producer (treatment and labor costs plus the reduction in milk yield, reduced reproductive performance, and so on), hoof trimmers ranked digital dermatitis as having the greatest total cost per case and thin soles as having the least total cost per case. Finally, respondents indicated that the most important benefits of reducing foot disorders were enhanced animal welfare and increased milk production, whereas the least important benefit was reduced veterinary and hoof trimmer fees. Results from this survey can be used to improve the accuracy of foot disorder cost estimates and contribute to better decision-making regarding both foot disorder treatment and prevention.

The prevalence of claw affections was investigated in 602 cattle in two organized dairy farms during June 2010 to May 2011. Of these cattle 176 were from Bangladesh Agricultural University Dairy Farm (BAUDF) and 426 were from Central Cattle Breeding Station and Dairy Farm (CCBSDF). These animals were studied under 6 groups: calf, heifer, pregnant cow, lactating cow, dry cow and breeding bull. Out of 426 cattle in CCBSDF, 85 animals were affected with various claw affections, the prevalence being 19.95%. The prevalence in BAUDF was 22.72%. Claw affections causing lameness comprised sole ulcer (3.82%), heel erosion (2.49%), interdigital necrobacillosis (2.15%), sand crack (1.82%), hoof overgrowth (3.32%) and white line disease (2.32%). The prevalence of lameness in BAUDF was 13.06% and that in CCBSDF was 11.50%. Sole ulcer (3.82%) was predominantly associated with lameness in both farms while the lowest prevalence of lameness was encountered with interdigital dermatitis (1.39%). The lowest prevalence of lameness was observed in calves in both BAUDF (0.56%) and CCBSDF (0.93%). Pregnant cows were the most vulnerable to claw diseases and manifested lameness of varying degrees. Hind limbs were more frequently affected with claw affections than fore limbs. Animals of over 5 years were mostly affected with foot diseases. Breeding bulls showed 2.27% prevalence of lameness in BAUDF and 1.87% CCBSDF. Among various affections sole ulcer ranked the highest in both the farms. Sand crack and interdigital necrobacillosis registered the lowest prevalence in BAUDF and interdigital dermatitis was the lowest in CCBSDF. Sole ulcer ranked the highest among all claw affections. Pregnant cow were more vulnerable to lameness. Hind limbs were frequently affected with various lesions than the forelimbs.Res. Agric. Livest. Fish.4(3): 193-199, December 2017

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.

Lameness in sheep is a global health, welfare and economic concern. White line disease (WLD), also known as shelly hoof, is a prevalent, non-infectious cause of lameness, characterised by the breakdown of the white line. Little is known about the predisposing factors, nor the individual disease dynamics over time. Our exploratory study aimed to investigate the prevalence and temporal dynamics of WLD, and the associated risk factors. Feet of 400 ewes from four UK commercial sheep farms were inspected for WLD at four time points across 12 months. The change in WLD state at foot-level (develop or recover) was calculated for three transition periods. We present WLD to be widespread, affecting 46.8% of foot-level and 76.6% of sheep-level observations. States in WLD changed over time, with feet readily developing and recovering from WLD within the study period. The presence of WLD at foot-level, the number of feet affected at sheep-level and dynamics in development and recovery were driven by a variety of foot-, sheep- and farm-level factors. We provide key insight into the multifaceted aetiology of WLD and corroborate previous studies demonstrating its multifactorial nature. Our study highlights an opportunity to reduce WLD prevalence and informs hypotheses for future prospective studies.

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to estimate the prevalence of lameness, claw lesions, and associated risk factors in dairy farms in Selangor, Malaysia. The sample population was 251 lactating cows from 8 farms assessed for lameness and claw lesions by locomotion scoring and claw assessment respectively while specific animal-based measures were hypothesized as cow-level risk factors. The Wilcoxon rank test and logistic regression were applied to assess the prevalence of lameness, claw lesions, and association with potential risk factors, respectively. The prevalence of lameness was 19.1% ranging from 10.0 to 33.3% while 31.1% of cows had claw lesions and ranged from 16.3–40%. Claw lesions were recorded in 87.5% of the lame cows with highest being those affected with sole lesions (54.2%) and white line disease (61.2%). Overall, the occurrence of overgrown claws, sole lesions, white line disease, and digital dermatitis were 37, 18.2, 10.9, and 8.3%, respectively. More than one claw lesion per cow was present in 71.8% of the affected cows. Lameness was associated with early lactation (OR = 3.3; 95% CI 2–7), injured hocks (OR = 4.8; 95% CI 5-17), and dirty legs hygiene (OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.3-6.2), whereas presence of claw lesions was associated with dirty legs hygiene (OR = 4.7; 95% CI 4-11) and overgrown claw (OR = 2.7; 95% CI 1.4-5.3). To reduce the prevalence of lameness, farmers need to improve the management of cows with overgrown claw, injured hocks, and cleanliness by establishing routine claw trimming and efficient stall design.

Sole ulcers and white line disease are 2 of the most common claw horn lesions in confined dairy cattle. Predisposing causes include unbalanced weight bearing, and metabolic, enzymatic, and hormonal changes. The white line serves as the junction between the sole and axial and abaxial wall. It is vulnerable to trauma and separation, permitting organic matter to become entrapped. Colonization contributes to retrograde movement of the infection to the solar and perioplic corium, where an abscess forms resulting in pain and lameness. Successful treatment requires an orthopedic foot block to the healthy claw and corrective trimming of the lesion.

A national genetic evaluation program for hoof health could be achieved by using hoof lesion data collected directly by hoof trimmers. However, not all cows in the herds during the trimming period are always presented to the hoof trimmer. This preselection process may not be completely random, leading to erroneous estimations of the prevalence of hoof lesions in the herd and inaccuracies in the genetic evaluation. The main objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for individual hoof lesions in Canadian Holsteins by using an alternative cohort to consider all cows in the herd during the period of the hoof trimming sessions, including those that were not examined by the trimmer over the entire lactation. A second objective was to compare the estimated heritabilities and breeding values for resistance to hoof lesions obtained with threshold and linear models. Data were recorded by 23 hoof trimmers serving 521 herds located in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. A total of 73,559 hoof-trimming records from 53,654 cows were collected between 2009 and 2012. Hoof lesions included in the analysis were digital dermatitis, interdigital dermatitis, interdigital hyperplasia, sole hemorrhage, sole ulcer, toe ulcer, and white line disease. All variables were analyzed as binary traits, as the presence or the absence of the lesions, using a threshold and a linear animal model. Two different cohorts were created: Cohort 1, which included only cows presented to hoof trimmers, and Cohort 2, which included all cows present in the herd at the time of hoof trimmer visit. Using a threshold model, heritabilities on the observed scale ranged from 0.01 to 0.08 for Cohort 1 and from 0.01 to 0.06 for Cohort 2. Heritabilities estimated with the linear model ranged from 0.01 to 0.07 for Cohort 1 and from 0.01 to 0.05 for Cohort 2. Despite a low heritability, the distribution of the sire breeding values showed large and exploitable variation among sires. Higher breeding values for hoof lesion resistance corresponded to sires with a higher prevalence of healthy daughters. The rank correlations between estimated breeding values ranged from 0.96 to 0.99 when predicted using either one of the 2 cohorts and from 0.94 to 0.99 when predicted using either a threshold or a linear model.

Deep digital sepsis (DDS) as applied to bovine lameness is not strictly defined, but for the purposes of this discussion will include infection of bones, joints, bursa or tendon sheaths within the foot. Often, there are infections of several of these structures in the same digit. Such infections are most commonly due to extension of infection from more superficial layers as in the case of advanced sole ulceration, white line disease or toe tip necrosis, but can be secondary to direct penetration or trauma. Deep digital sepsis should be suspected when lameness is severe coupled with 1 or more of the following: asymmetrical swelling of the foot, swelling extending proximal to the pastern region, and a duration of severe lameness of >2 weeks. Lameness associated with deep digital sepsis (DDS) is severe and requires aggressive and somewhat expensive therapy to resolve. Recognition of the development of DDS is critical to appropriate management of a lameness case. Description of therapeutic options will be provided in another paper in this volume (see Therapy of Deep Digital Sepsis)., American Association of Bovine Practitioners Proceedings of the Annual Conference, 2019

The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of hoof lesions, their relationship with lameness, and associated risk factors in dairy cows in Peninsular Malaysia. Hoof lesion data were recorded after hoof examination on 1,051 cows from 29 dairy farms in 4 states (Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Perak) from December 2018 to June 2020. Animal-based welfare measures were documented for individual cows, whereas information on management and environmental-based factors were obtained through on-farm assessment and farmers’ interview. Multivariable models were built to assess, 1) association between hoof lesion-related factors and lameness prevalence, and 2) cow and farm-level factors for 3 most prevalent (sole ulcers; SU, sole haemorrhage; SH, and white line disease; WL) and infectious hoof lesions (digital dermatitis; DD, heel erosion and swelling of coronet; SW). A total of 903 hoof lesions were recorded in 486 cows (46.2%; CI 33.3-63.3%). Of these, 72.3% of the cows affected with lesions were lame. A higher percentage of the lesions were present on the rear feet (73.4%), 51% of the cows had more than a single lesion, and majority of the lesions were non-infectious types (79.0%). SU was the predominant lesion (23%) followed by WL (16.1%), SH (8.5%), SW (7.8%), toe ulcer (6.9%) and DD (6.4%). Lameness prevalence was higher in cows having either multiple or severe lesions, and presence of only non-infectious or both lesion types. Cows at greater parity had higher odds of SU, while presence of overgrown hoof increased the odds of SU and SH. Underconditioned cows (≤2.5) had higher odds of SH and WL. At herd level, factors associated with SU were milking at resting ban, longer time spent on pasture, and presence of concrete walkways. Farms with concrete floors at milking parlour and improper feed bunk height had higher odds of SH, having a single source of replacement cows increased the prevalence of WL, while the odds of both lesions were higher in farms without routine hoof trimming. Infectious hoof lesions were associated with poor leg hygiene, longer time spent on pasture, and having concrete floor at resting barn. This is the first study to describe the distribution of hoof lesions and their role as causes of lameness in dairy farms in Peninsular Malaysia. The findings could assist dairy farmers to make informed decisions on the management strategies of specific hoof lesions responsible for lameness in the studied herds.

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la asociación entre patologías podales y los indicadores de producción láctea en tambos del departamento de Caaguazú, Paraguay. Se evaluaron 50 vacas criadas en establos de cama de compost, con patologías podales diagnosticadas durante la fase descendente de lactancia. Se evaluó el tipo de patología podal, localización, evolución, producción láctea, tenor graso, tenor proteico y recuento de células somáticas (RCS) entre setiembre de 2019 y enero de 2020. Se utilizó la prueba de Friedman para detectar diferencias estadísticas entre los grupos conformados según los días de lactancia en Categoría 1, 92-137; Categoría 2, 138-182; y Categoría 3, 183-227 días de lactancia. La suela y la zona interdigital registraron mayor frecuencia de patologías; mientras que, la línea blanca, tapa y talón la menor casuística. La frecuencia en el miembro pelviano fue diferente en la Categoría 3 con el recuento más bajo (p˂0.05), mientras no hubo diferencias entre las otras dos categorías. La frecuencia de animales con niveles bajo, medio y alto en las variables productivas no difirieron entre los grupos. El análisis de correspondencia múltiple detectó asociación entre la categoría 3, hemorragia de suela, evolución leve, y tenores graso y proteico altos. Las de categoría dos se vincularon a flemón interdigital, evolución severa y niveles bajo y medio de proteína y grasa, respectivamente. La patología con menor impacto sobre la producción, por el menor RCS y mayor cantidad de leche producida fue la enfermedad de la línea blanca. Contrariamente, la úlcera de suela de evolución grave se asoció al mayor RCS y menor cantidad de leche producida.

Summary Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of specific hoof lesions on the locomotion score (LS) as well as the effect of early detection and treatment on duration and prevalence of lesion-specific lameness. Material and methods: In a dairy herd in Lower Saxony, Germany, with 144 lactating cows, claw trimming was performed by a professional claw trimmer at the beginning and the end of a 41-week trial period. Weekly a veterinarian assessed the LS according to Sprecher et al. (1997) in 99 cows. The front and hind claws of cows with an LS > 1 were examined and treated within 5 days. For individual diagnoses, the duration of lameness was calculated as the number of weeks from first treatment until recovery (LS = 1).Results: In total, 580 examinations and treatments were performed on 94 cows. There were 189 new lameness cases with a total of 290 diagnoses. At the first treatment, 81.0% of the cows displayed an LS of 2. Cows with digital dermatitis (DD), heel horn erosion and white line disease (WLD) more often had an LS > 2 compared to cows with Rusterholz’ sole ulcer, interdigital hyperplasia or inadequate claw length/posture (p < 0.05). Cows with only one affected leg, more often had an LS > 2 than cows with several affected legs (p < 0.1). Lameness caused by WLD and arthritis/ periarthritis remained for the longest time period. The prevalence of sole haemorrhages and/or double soles, WLD, interdigital dermatitis and interdigital hyperplasia decreased significantly during the test period. Prevalence of sole ulcer (sole ulcer and Rusterholz’ sole ulcer) and DD remained unaffected. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Locomotion score was affected by the type of claw/limb disorder and the number of diseased limbs. Regular locomotion scoring and continuous treatment of cows with an LS > 1 is associated with a decrease in the prevalence of several claw lesions. Therefore, prevalence of severe claw lesions like WLD, which was associated with a long duration of lameness, can be reduced. In con trast, for decreasing prevalence of digital dermatitis more than weekly treatment of every cow with LS > 1 is required. Preventive measures like footbaths or improved hygiene should accompany the individual animal treatment.

BACKGROUND:Non-healing bovine foot lesions, including non-healing white line disease, non-healing sole ulcer and toe necrosis, are an increasingly important cause of chronic lameness that are poorly responsive to treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated a high-level association between these non-healing lesions and the Treponema phylogroups implicated in bovine digital dermatitis (BDD). However, a polymicrobial aetiology involving other gram-stain-negative anaerobes is suspected. METHODS:A PCR-based bacteriological survey of uncomplicated BDD lesions (n=10) and non-healing bovine foot lesions (n=10) targeting Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Dichelobacter nodosus and Treponema pallidum/T. paraluiscuniculi was performed. RESULTS:P. endodontalis DNA was detected in 80.0% of the non-healing lesion biopsies (p=

Lameness is an important welfare issue and a serious challenge in the dairy industry. Prevalence of lameness worldwide range from 8 to 55% and is influenced by genetics, housing type, and herd management. Lame cows have reduced fertility and hoof lesions (HL) are responsible for over 90% of lameness. Hoof lesions can be non-infectious such as sole ulcer, toe ulcer, white line disease, sole hemorrhage, or infectious digital dermatitis and foot rot. Association between HL and fertility is scarce. Furthermore, information about the association between stage of HL development and fertility in dairy cows is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the association between HL and ovarian cyclicity, and pregnancy in dairy cows. Our hypotheses were that cows with pre-existing HL during early lactation have delayed resumption of ovulation post-partum, longer interval to first service and to pregnancy, and smaller pregnancy hazard. Also, cows that develop new HL have longer interval to pregnancy and smaller pregnancy hazard., American Association of Bovine Practitioners Proceedings of the Annual Conference, 2018

Lameness is a severe welfare problem in cattle and has a detrimental effect on longevity, productivity, and reproductive performance. This study aimed to describe the frequency and distribution of foot lesions in cattle using hoof trimming records over a period of 6 years in the Province of Antioquia (Colombia). The data collection instrument enabled differentiation between limbs, digits, and views. The Claw Lesion Identification in Dairy Cattle brochure was the reference for foot lesion identification. A total of 1814 foot lesions observations, recorded from 1120 cows in 71 herds, were analyzed and 11 different foot lesions were identified. Non-infectious foot lesions were more common than infectious (94.4 vs 5.6%). White line disease was more frequently observed in the hind limbs (79.6%) compared to the front limbs (20.4%), and more frequent in medial claws of the front limbs (70.3%) compared to lateral claws (29.7%). In hind limbs, the lateral claws were more commonly affected (65.7%) compared to the medial claws (34.3%). Claw zone 3 was affected in 61.3% of the cases, followed by zones 2 (21.7%) and 1 (17%). Although our data are from a limited area of the country, they are consistent with published and anecdotal reports of foot lesions in cattle in Colombia and worldwide. Our results suggest that there is need for additional prospective research under Colombian dairy cattle management conditions to better understand the lameness and benefit of trimming intervention.

Stella Chapman MRCVS discusses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment

Lameness is a leading cause of welfare and culling issues in cattle, with claw lesions accounting for the majority of these issues. Although the treatment of claw lesions in cattle is a daily activity for hoof trimmers, veterinarians, and livestock producers, there is surpris- ingly little information in the peer-reviewed literature on which to base strong evidence-based conclusions. As a consequence, many treatment modalities used are empirical and, in some cases, may be counterproductive to rapid lesion healing. Furthermore, many of these empirical treatment modalities fail to fully consider the underlying pathogenesis of the disease process and the implications that it has on lesion healing. For example, sole ulcers are largely a conse- quence of metabolic disorders and mechanical overloading. Therapeutic interventions that fail to address the weight-bearing issues are unlikely to be successful. Likewise, white line disease is believed to be predisposed by rumen acidosis and laminitis, and interventions need to include in them appropriate measures to prevent further cases through nutritional management. The goal of this review paper is to review the pathogenesis of claw lesions in the context of the published literature and allow the reader to arrive at rational treatment interventions based on the best available information. The use of an orthopedic block applied to the healthy claw of a lame foot, judicious use of bandage or wrap, careful selection of parenteral or topical therapy, and a treatment protocol to manage pain and promote recovery are key components of responsible management of lameness disorders in cattle.

Toe lesions in cattle include apical white line disease, thin soles, toe ulcers, toe necrosis, digital dermatitis-associated toe ulcers/toe necrosis, and fracture of the claw capsule and the apex of the distal phalanx. For anatomic reasons, the early stages of toe abnormalities (thin sole, apical white line disease, toe ulcer) are at risk of developing into a bone infection. The prevalence of toe lesions differs in dairy herds and feedlots: it is low at the animal level in feedlots and dairies; however, the herd prevalence of toe lesions can reach 50% in dairy herds with endemic digital dermatitis infection.

Information is scarce on the prevalence of hoof disorders in horses. In this study, we examined the prevalence of and risk factors for hoof disorders in a population of horses in The Netherlands. In a group of 942 randomly selected horses, hoof health was scored during regular foot trimming (one horse/farm). Hooves were assessed for the occurrence of one of 12 hoof disorders by a group of 21 certified farriers in two periods i.e. winter and summer of 2015. The mean age of the group of horses was 11.2±5.6years. They were mainly used for recreation (28.2%), dressage (26.8%), other disciplines (such as carriage driving and breeding) (18.7%), showjumping (17.6%) or combinations of these activities (8.6%). The horse farms studied were evenly distributed throughout the country. The horses were housed on different types of bedding, including straw (51.0%), shavings (17.5%), flax (16.1%) or other materials (11.0%), or were kept at pasture (4.4%). In 85% of the horses, at least one hoof disorder was observed during regular foot trimming. Most of the lesions were mild. The most frequently diagnosed hoof disorders were: thrush (T; 45.0%); superficial hoof wall cracks (SHWC; 30.4%); growth rings (GR; 26.3%); and sole bruises (SB; 24.7%). Less frequently observed hoof disorders included: perforating hoof wall cracks (PHWC; 16.4%); white line disease (WLD; 17.8%); and white line widening (WLW; 11.8%). Horizontal hoof cracks (5.2%), chronic laminitis (3.9%), quarter cracks (2.7%), keratoma (1.8%) and frog cancer (1.0%) were less frequently observed. Factors significantly associated with the occurrence of thrush comprised a wet stable floor (OR 1.6 and 2.9, for somewhat wet to wet respectively, compared to dry), the use of straw as bedding (OR=1.5, compared to flax), the housing strategy (e.g. permanent housing in contrast to permanent pasturing) (OR=1.7) and poor horn quality (OR=3.4). A higher prevalence of WLD was associated with less frequent hoof picking (OR=2.1 if performed weekly instead of daily), the use of flax bedding (OR=2.1, compared to straw) and poor horn quality (OR=8.1). A higher prevalence of SB was observed in horses used for multiple disciplines (OR=3.5, compared to dressage), with white-coloured hooves (OR=5.0, compared to black hooves), with longer intervals between trimming sessions (OR=4.8 in case of 8-10 weeks compared to weekly) and with poor horn quality (OR=5.4). A higher prevalence of WLW was observed in older horses (OR=15.5 for horses >19years, compared to