lameness Flashcards by Natalie Bubenheim

Q

name 3 categories of factors affecting lameness

A

management
environment
nutrition

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Q

which part of the cow’s foot takes the weight initially?

A

bulb of foot

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

spread and provide shock absorption aided by digital cushion;
take wight initially

A

bulb of foot

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

this is the junction between the hard rigid wall and the flexing sole and is an inherent weak point in the foot

A

white line

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

also known as the hairline and marks the junction between skin and horn;
hoof wall horn grows from here

A

coronary band

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

fastest point of growth or slowest wear when housed

A

toe

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

slowest point of growth or fastest point of wear

A

heel

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

needs to be at least 8mm thick to withstand bruising and stone penetration

A

sole

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Q

name the part of the cow’s foot

a shock absorber within the claw

A

digital cushion

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Q

name 4 aims of commercial hoof trimming

A

prevent discomfort/lameness
detect/correct lesions
improve mobility
do no harm

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Q

this is the internationally accepted approach to effective claw trimming which is best implemented following professional training

A

Five-Step Dutch Trimming Method

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Q

name 5 principles of foot trimming

A

correct toe overgrowth to correct foot angle
spare the heel, leave sole thickness
allow the walls to bear most weight (take weight off the sole ulcer site)
remove weight from painful claws
remove dead or diseased horn

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Q

describe the aim of step 1 of the 5-step Dutch Trimming Method

A

foot angle closer to 48-52°

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Q

describe the aim of step 2 of the 5-step Dutch Trimming Method

A

50:50 weight bearing between claws

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Q

describe the aim of step 3 of the 5-step Dutch Trimming Method

A

redistribute weight onto the walls, toe triangle and heel bulbs

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Q

describe the aim of step 4 of the 5-step Dutch Trimming Method

A

create a height difference with a painful claw

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Q

describe the aim of step 5 of the 5-step Dutch Trimming Method

A

remove loose horn and ridges

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Q

which aim of the 5-step dutch trimming method is achieved by these actions?

cut stabilising claw to correct length (medial/lateral foreclaw)
trim excess sole at toe until 6-7mm step is left (white line rejoins at toe) SPARE THE HEEL

measure and cut stabilising claw to appropriate length;
measure from where the horn goes palpably hard

A

foot angle closer to 48-52°

(step 1)

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Q

which aim of the 5-step dutch trimming method is achieved by these actions?

rebalance opposite partner claw - length, level in toe, balance in heel
sometimes impossible to achieve

A

50:50 weight beaing between claws

(step 2)

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Q

which aim of the 5-step dutch trimming method is achieved by these actions?

remodel out the centre sole of the outside hind claw (deep and wide), steep and narrow for inside;
spare toe triangle

A

redistribute weight onto the walls, toe triangle and heel bulbs

(step 3)

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Q

which aim of the 5-step dutch trimming method is achieved by these actions?

block and/or trim down back 2/3 of dynamic cow

A

create height difference with a painful claw

(step 4)

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Q

which aim of the 5-step dutch trimming method is achieved by these actions?

only remove loose horn in heel erosion and lesions causing lameness;
use hoof testers;
prevent stone traps

A

remove loose horn and ridges

(step 5)

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Q

which single measurement is most predictive of sole thickness?

A

dorsal wall length
(measured from where horn is palpably hard to tip of the toe)

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Q

what is the optimal toe length from top of hard horn along dorsal wall junction with axial wall for a standard Holstein?

A

80mm

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name the 4 current best practice recommendations for when routine trims/inspections should be done on cows' feet

1. at/around dry off 2. 70-100 days in milk 3. new cases of lameness 4. block rechecks at 6 weeks

what is the number 1 foot trimming mistake made with cattle

toe length cut too short

name 3 other common foot trimming mistakes made with cattle (besides cutting toe length too short)

1. over trimming of the sole 2. using the grinder on the walls (axial and abaxial) 3. not making enough use of the hoof testers

foot lesions should be recorded using how many zones in a hoof map?

zones 1-6

foot lesions in cattle should be graded on a scale of what?

1-4

# name the foot lesion grade (scale of 1-4) mild, incidental, not painful

1

# name the foot lesion grade (scale of 1-4) painful, requires treatment

2

# name the foot lesion grade (scale of 1-4) needs repeat treatment, see again

3

# name the foot lesion grade (scale of 1-4) refer to vet

4

# name the foot lesion in cattle Tx: corrective trim, care not to make matters worse by making soles thin consider ways to reduce standing times on concrete and hardening horn if only 1 claw affected, apply block to healthy claw rest the cow

sole bruising and thin soles

# name the foot lesion in cattle Tx: relieve the weight on the affected claw or if the other clow is healthy, apply a block, remove the collar of horn, be hygienic, pain relief, do NOT remove the prolapsed corium

sole ulcer

lameness cure in cattle is maximised by using what medical treatment in addition to the common practices of therapeutic trimming and elevating the diseased claw using a block when cows are newly and predominantly mildly lame

NSAID

what is the opitmum length of lying time for cattle?

12-14 h/day

name 4 types of cattle herds that are likely to have NO sole ulcers

1. straw yard 2. extended grazing 3. small herds with short milking times 4. beef sucklers!

what happens to horn growth at calving?

slows and almost stops

what happens to hoof wear at calving?

increases

what happens to pedal bone movement at calving?

increases

name 5 indications for digit amputation in cattle

1. traumatic injury to hoof 2. severe penetrations to the sole 3. sepsis and septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint 4. septic tenosynovitis of the deep flexor tendon 5. osteomyelitis of the third phalanx

# name the disease affecting cattle feet highly contagious bacterial disease; most common foot lesion affecting dairy cattle across most of world; welfare concern

digital dermatitis (DD)

what is the most common type of bacteria causing digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle?

Spirochaete | (Treponema spp)

what is the most common scoring system used for digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle? based on macroscopic lesion characteristics

6 stage 'M' scoring system

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle no sign of preexisting lesion; normal skin

M0

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle small (<2cm across) focal active state; circumscribed lesion; surface is moist, ragged, mottled red-gray with scattered small (1mm diameter) red foci

M1

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle larger (>2cm across) ulcerative active stage; extensively mottled red-gray; can be painful upon manipulation

M2

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle healing stage; typically seen within a few days after abx treatment; ulcerated surface is now transformed to a dry brown, firm rubbery scab; no pain on manipulation

M3

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle chronic stage; surface is raised by tan, brown, black, rubbery, irregular, proliferative hyperkeratotic growths that vary from papilliform to mass-like projections

M4

# name the M stage of digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle chronic stage with small active painful M1 focus

M4.1

what is the current best practice treatment for digital dermatitis in cattle?

licensed topical antibiotic spray

name the most effective way of bringing digital dermatitis infections under control quickly in a cattle herd

blitz treatment

name the 3 main ways to prevent digital dermatitis on farm

1. biosecurity 2. hygiene 3. footbathing

name the 3 pronged approach to controlling digital dermatitis

1. keep it out 2. don't let it spread 3. build resilience

# name the infectious foot condition in cattle whole foot is swollen; characteristic smell; caused by bacteria which enterthrough broken skin between the claws

foul of the foot

# name the infectious foot condition in cattle caused by enzymes produced by certain bacteria which erode the horn at the heel; severe forms can lead to deep pits and grooves; useful weight-bearing surface of the foot is lost and the condition can be sore in its own right

heel horn erosion (HHE) | (aka slurry heel)

# name the foot condition in cattle protruding flesh (fibrous tissue) between toes; caused by any chronic irritation (e.g. by the bacteria responsible for heel erosion or foul); can become super-infected with digital dermatitis

interdigital hyperplasia/growth (IH)

how long should a footbath be?

long enough so each foot is submerged twice

should you use antibiotic or disinfectant footbaths?

disinfectant

how often should the footbath be cleaned and fresh solution made up for dairy cows?

after each milking

what is teh estimated number of lameness cases for every 100 cows?

25

what cause of lameness in cattle has the highest cost?

solar ulcer

what is the average increase in calving interval for cows with a claw horn lesion?

40 days

what is the average increase in calving interval for a cow with a digital lesion?

10 days

what is the average cost per case of lameness in cattle?

£100-250

what scale is used for locomotion scoring

1-5

what is the predicted milk yield loss for a cow with a locomotion score of 3?

5%

what is the predicted milk yield loss for a cow with a locomotion score of 4?

17%

what is the predicted milk yield loss for a cow with a locomotion score of 5?

36%

this is a four point industry standard for assessing, measuring and monitoring mobility and lameness in the dairy herd; can assist farmers in identifying and prioritising cows that may benefit from treatment

AHDB Mobility Score

# name the AHDB Mobility Score walks with even weight bearing and rhythm on all 4 feet, with a flat back; long, fluid strides possible; no action needed

0

# name the AHDB Mobility Score steps uneven (rhythm or weight bearing) or strides shortened; affected limb or limbs not immediately identifiable; could benefit from routine (preventative) foot trimming

1

# name the AHDB Mobility Score uneven weight bearing on a limb that is immediately identifiable and/or obviously shortened strides (usually with an arch to the centre of the back); likely to benefit from treatment; foot should be lifted to establish the cause of lameness; should be attended to as soon as practically possible

2

# name the AHDB Mobility Score unable to walk as fast as a brisk human pace (cannot keep up with the healthy herd); lame leg easy to identify - limping, may barely stand on lame leg; back arched when standing and walking; very lame; requires urgent attention, nursing and further professional advice; cow should not be made to walk far and kept on straw yard or at grass

3

what is the main disease causing sole ulcers and white line disease? 20-60% of lameness cases

claw horn disease

what is the main disease causing foul in the foot and digital dermatitis? 5-30% of lameness cases

skin disease

name the 3 main aims of routine footcare in the cattle herd

1. restore foot to normal shape 2. correct weight-bearing 3. remove overgrowth

name 4 times to AVOID carrying out routine foot trims in cattle

1. heavily pregnant 2. freshly calved 3. about to be housed 4. turned out on very long or abrasive tracks

how many cubicles shoukd you have for a herd of cattle?

one per cow plus 10% extra

explain how rumen acidosis leads to more diseases of the horn (of the foot)

acidosis leads to less vit B production (esp biotin) which is necessary for production of healthy horn

supplementing cattle diets with this has been shown to reduce white line disease

biotin

how long does it take to see the effects of supplementing cattle diets with biotin

4 months

what foot disease of cattle can be reduced by supplementing diets with biotin?

white line disease