Etiology of bovine lameness (stall design management and subacut ruminal acidosis)

Year 2020, Vetexpo-2019, KHVD-2019, 20 - 20, 31.03.2020

Serhat Özsoy

Abstract

Dairy producers are faced with a bewildering range of recommendation concerning suitable dimensions
and surfaces for free stalls. Some authors recommend sand bedding, while many farmers still use sawdust
or straw. Bedding choices may affect not only cow comfort but also udder health . Cow preferred to lie
down in the stalls bedded with mattresses and sawdust and were least likely to use the concrete stalls with
paper. Cows were more likely to lie down in stalls when these had more bedding , regardless of whether
the stall base was concrete, mat or carpet. Lameness is probably the most important animal welfare issue
today in dairy herds and a good partion of the lameness observed in dairy cows may be attributed to
laminitis secondary to high grain feeding. Ruminal acidosis can be direct human health concern as well.
Low ruminal and intestinal pH due to high grain feeding increases the risk shedding enterohemoragic E.
coli. Compromises in dairy cow health due to subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) are a concern not only
for economic reasons but also for animal welfare reasons. Rumenitis is the fundamental lesion of SARA
and it leads to delayed , chronic health problems. Once the ruminal epithelium is inflamed bacteria may
colonize the papillae and leak into portal circulation . These bacteria may cause liver abscesses, which
sometimes cause peritonitis around site of the abscess. If the ruminal bacteria clear the liver, they may
colonize the lungs, heart valves, kidneys or joints. SARA may also be associated with laminitis and
subsequent hoof overgrowth, sole abscesses and sole ulcers .These foot problems generally do not appear
until weeks or months after the bout of ruminal acidosis that caused them.

Keywords

lameness, cattle

References

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