Authors : Erdal Yaylak, Yavuz Akbas, Ibrahim Kaya and Can Uzmay
Abstract: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of lameness and risk factors for lameness. Data of 1078 Holstein cows from 34 farms in Izmir province of Turkey were evaluated. Lameness was determined by using a Lameness Score (LS) scale with 5 levels. Mean prevalence of lameness (LS≥3) was 28.3%. The percent of the cows with LS 1-5 were found to be 37.9, 33.8, 20.9, 5.8 and 1.6%, respectively. Cow-level variables were parity, days in milk, body condition score and hygiene score of lower rear legs. There were 18 herd level variables used to explain the variation in the prevalence of lameness among the herds. LS data were analysed using individual and multifactorial binary logistic regression. About 12 of the 22 potential risk factors investigated in the study were found to be significant (p<0.10) in the individual logistic regression analysis. However, only 9 of the 12 factors remained in the final multifactorial logistic regression model. These significant 9 factors on lameness were parity, body condition score, herd size, animal keeper, total area per cow, soil area per cow, frequency of scraping, ratio of concentrate feed to total feed intake and consulting a feeding expert. Lameness risk was increased with increasing parity, herd size and ratio of concentrate feed to total feed intake and it was increased with decreasing in body condition score, total area per cow and soil area per cow and the risk was also increased if a feeding expert was not available or animal keeper was the stockman (p<0.10). Frequency of scraping was found a significant (p = 0.031) risk factor for lameness. Minimum prevalence of lameness was determined in the herds scraped once in 6-10 days.
Erdal Yaylak, Yavuz Akbas, Ibrahim Kaya and Can Uzmay, 2010. The Effects of Several Cow and Herd Level Factors on Lameness in Holstein Cows Reared in Izmir Province of Turkey. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 9: 2714-2722.