Browsing by Author "Laven RA"

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    A Nutritional Investigation of Major Feed Types and Feed Rations Used in Medium-Scale Dairy Production Systems in Sri Lanka
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-09-13) Kumara SN; Parkinson TJ; Laven RA; Waghorn GC; Pushpakumara A; Donaghy DJ
    In this paper, the nutritional quality, digestibility, and chemical composition of major feed types as well as the use of those feeds in rations by medium-scale dairy farmers in the Kurunegala district of Sri Lanka were studied. Nine dairy farms were visited fortnightly over a five-month period to identify the feeds that were commonly used. All farms operated under a stall-feeding system in which a manually mixed ration (MMR) was fed 2–3 times daily. Four forages were identified: Guinea grass ecotype A (Panicum maximum), called Guinea grass; Hybrid Napier CO-3 (Pennisetum purpureum × Pennisetum americanum), called CO-3 grass; Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium); and maize stover (Zea mays L.), along with three other supplementary feeds (maize silage, barley distillers’ by-products, and commercially formulated cattle feed). These feeds were subjected to proximate analysis and in vitro digestibility analysis. The metabolisable energy (ME) of the forages ranged from 7.5–10.0 MJ/kg dry matter (DM), with the ME of Guinea grass and CO-3 grass (7.5 and 8.0 MJ/kg DM, respectively) being lower than that of Gliricidia (10.0 MJ/kg DM). The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentration of both Guinea grass and CO-3 grass (both 72% DM) was much higher than that of Gliricidia (47% DM). Crude protein (CP) was higher in Gliricidia (17.5% DM) than in either Guinea grass or CO-3 grass (8.0 and 8.8% DM, respectively). The ME of the supplementary feeds varied between 11.0 and 12.8 MJ/kg DM, while CP varied between 15.0 and 24.0% DM. The daily ME intake of cows was consistently 10% lower than their calculated daily energy requirement; for dry cows, the mean intake was 90 MJ/cow/day supplied vs. 101 MJ required, while for cows in early lactation the mean intake was 126 MJ/cow/day supplied vs. 140 MJ required. The average CP intake of lactating cows (13.5% DM) was inadequate (requirements: 16 to 17.5% DM), while the average CP intake of dry cows (11.8% DM) was satisfactory (requirements: 11 to 12% DM). The current study shows that the majority of the feed types used in these medium-scale dairy farms provide insufficient ME or CP to meet the nutritional requirements of either lactating or dry cows irrespective of the quantity of feed provided.
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    Assessing Alternatives to Locomotion Scoring for Detecting Lameness in Dairy Cattle in Tanzania: Infrared Thermography
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-04-17) Werema CW; Laven LJ; Mueller KR; Laven RA; Guatteo R
    Lameness detection is a significant challenge. Locomotion scoring (LS), the most widely used system for detecting lameness, has several limitations, including its subjective nature and the existence of multiple systems, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether the foot skin temperature (FST) of hind limbs, as measured using infrared thermography (IRT), could potentially be used as an alternative on Tanzanian dairy farms. Each of the three study farms were visited twice during the afternoon milking on consecutive days, with a total of 170 cows assessed. DairyNZ LS (4-point scale (0-3)) was undertaken on the first day as the cows exited the milking parlour after being milked, while on the following day, the plantar aspect of the hind limbs of the cows was thermally imaged while they were standing in the milking parlour, using a handheld T650sc forward-looking infrared camera. Mean FST was higher for cows with a locomotion score of 1 than those with a score of 0; higher for cows with a locomotion score of 2 than those with a score of 1; and higher for cows with a locomotion score of 3 than those with a score of 2, with each one-unit locomotion score increase being associated with a 0.57 °C increase in mean temperature across all zones. The optimal cut-off point of 38.0 °C for mean temperature across all zones was identified using a receiver operator characteristic curve. This cut-off point had a sensitivity of 73.2% and a specificity of 86.0% for distinguishing cows with a locomotion score ≥ 2 (clinical lameness). The prevalence of clinical lameness across all three farms was 33%, which meant that only 72% of cows with a mean FST across all zones ≥ 38.0 °C had been identified as clinically lame using LS. This study confirmed that IRT has the potential to be used to detect lameness on Tanzanian dairy farms. However, before it can be widely used, improvements in accuracy, especially specificity, are needed, as are reductions in equipment (IR camera) costs.
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    Can lameness prevalence in dairy herds be predicted from farmers' reports of their motivation to control lameness and barriers to doing so? An observational study from New Zealand.
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024-04-01) Mason WA; Laven LJ; Huxley JN; Laven RA
    Understanding what motivates and prevents behavioral change in farmers is a critical step in disease control in dairy cattle. A total of 101 New Zealand dairy farmers across 8 regions were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional study to investigate farmer barriers and motivators to lameness control for cows managed 100% at pasture and the relationship between these responses and the true lameness status on farm. Trained technicians lameness scored all lactating cows on the enrolled farms on 2 occasions during one lactation. Farm-level prevalence proportions were calculated as the mean of the 2 lameness scores. Enrolled farmers were asked their perception of lameness in the current milking season and responded to 26 ordinal Likert-type items with 5 options ranging from not important at all to extremely important. The questions were grouped under 3 categories; barriers to lameness control (n = 9), impacts of lameness (n = 10), and motivators to control lameness (n = 7). The association between farmer perception of lameness and lameness prevalence was reported using linear regression. Multiple-factor analysis was conducted to identify latent variable themes within the responses. Linear discriminant analysis was used to assess whether barriers, impacts, and motivators could be used to predict farmer perception of lameness and lameness prevalence. Lameness prevalence was 0.8% greater on farms where farmers perceived lameness as a moderate or a major problem compared with farms where the farmer perceived lameness as a minor problem or not a problem. Farmers ranked all potential motivators to lameness control as important and declared few barriers to be important at preventing them from controlling lameness. Feeling sorry for lame cows and pride in a healthy herd were the most important motivators, with lack of time and skilled labor the most important barriers. The most important effects of lameness were cow-related factors such as pain and production, with farm and industry impacts of less importance. Farmers place different weightings of importance on barriers to lameness control compared with motivators for lameness control. The impacts and motivators were strongly correlated with the first dimension from the multiple-factor analysis, with only weak correlation between barriers and the first dimension. Linear discriminant analysis identified that the importance that farmers place on barriers, motivators, and impacts of lameness were poor predictors of farmers' belief in regard to their lameness problem or actual lameness prevalence (above or below the median lameness prevalence for the study cohort). Despite relatively low lameness prevalence, many New Zealand dairy farmers believe lameness is a problem on their farm, and they rank welfare effects of lameness of high importance. To investigate how farmer behavior change can be used to manage lameness, future studies should consider theoretical social science frameworks beyond the theory of planned behavior or involve prospective interventional studies investigating farmer actions instead of beliefs.
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    Dairy farmer, engagement and understanding of One Health and antimicrobial resistance - a pilot survey from the lower north island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
    (BioMed Central Ltd. Part of Springer Nature, 2024-08-01) Arden K; Rosanowski SM; Laven RA; Mueller KR
    BACKGROUND: Reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) requires a multidisciplinary One Health approach, which necessitates buy-in from all stakeholders. In Aotearoa New Zealand, where the dairy industry is one of the largest users of antimicrobials, there are ongoing efforts to optimise antimicrobial usage (AMU) to minimise the development of AMR. These include regulations around the veterinary authorisation of the use of antibiotics by farmers without the need for a specific prescription ("the RVM process") and programmes such as the New Zealand Veterinary Association's antibiotic 'Traffic Light System'. The goal of this pilot survey was to develop and trial a questionnaire to determine how much Aotearoa dairy farmers understand about One Health, AMR, the RVM process and how their actions regarding AMU affect the wider environment. METHODS: A 55-question semi-structured questionnaire was piloted on 15 dairy farms in the Lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand via an in-person semi-structured interview between September and November 2021. RESULTS: None of the interviewed farmers could define the term One Health. However, the majority found the RVM process to be of use on their farm, although admitted they generally felt frustration regarding AMR, seeing it as a blockage to productivity, and lacked awareness regarding how their actions were related to its development. Of the farmers interviewed over half had not heard of the traffic light system, and of those who had, one admitted they refused to adhere to it. CONCLUSIONS: This survey's novel findings have highlighted that there are notable gaps within dairy farmer understanding of AMU, AMR and One Health as well as highlighting that veterinarians could do more to keep their clients informed of their important role within One Health. There is still a lot more work to do with regards to vets, farmers and industry representatives working together to embrace One Health. Simple solutions would be to encourage farmers returning unused drugs to their veterinarians for correct disposal and to actively engage farmers further regarding AMU and AMR, so that these end-product users do not feel disconnected from the process.
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    Design-Based Approach for Analysing Survey Data in Veterinary Research
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-06-08) Yang DA; Laven RA; Bertelloni F
    Sample surveys are an essential approach used in veterinary research and investigation. A sample obtained from a well-designed sampling process along with robust data analysis can provide valuable insight into the attributes of the target population. Two approaches, design-based or model-based, can be used as inferential frameworks for analysing survey data. Compared to the model-based approach, the design-based approach is usually more straightforward and directly makes inferences about the finite target population (such as the dairy cows in a herd or dogs in a region) rather than an infinite superpopulation. In this paper, the concept of probability sampling and the design-based approach is briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of the estimations and their justifications in the context of several different elementary sampling methods, including simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, and one-stage cluster sampling. Finally, a concrete example of a complex survey design (involving multistage sampling and stratification) is demonstrated, illustrating how finding unbiased estimators and their corresponding variance formulas for a complex survey builds on the techniques used in elementary sampling methods.
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    Effect of a pre-calving injectable trace mineral supplement on white blood cell function in seasonally calving pastoral dairy cows.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-10-30) Bates AJ; Wells M; Fitzpatrick C; Laven RA
    Aims To investigate the effect of injection of trace mineral supplement (TMS) 14–28 days before calving on white blood cell count (WBCC) and function, serum antioxidant capacity (SAC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pasture-fed cattle after calving. Methods On each of two South Island, seasonally calving, pastoral dairy farms,1 month before dry-off, a random sample of 150 multiparous cows predicted to calve within 7 days of the herd’s planned start of calving (PSC) were stratified on individual somatic cell count, age, breed and expected calving date. On each farm, 14–24 days before PSC, 60 selected cows were randomly assigned for TMS (Zn, Mn, Se, Cu) injection, and 60 were controls. All 240 cows were contemporaneously injected with hydroxocobalamin, and controls with Se. Blood samples were collected pre-injection and 3, 12 and 40 days after calving. Phagocytic activity, count and proportion of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, WBCC, ROS, SAC were measured. Plasma concentrations of Se, Cu and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were monitored from a random subset of animals. Differences attributable to TMS were estimated using mixed-multivariable Bayesian analysis, expressed as mean and highest density interval (HDI). Results Three and 40 days after calving, TMS-treated cows had 0.36 (90% HDI = 0.00–0.77) x 109 and 0.25 (90% HDI = 0.00–0.55) x 109 fewer neutrophils/L. Neutrophils comprised 6 (90% HDI = 0–11)% and 4 (90% HDI = 0–8)% less of the WBCC, and the neutrophil count was 14 (90% HDI = 0–27)% and 9 (90% HDI = 0–18)% less than controls. However, 3 days after calving, there were 7 (95% HDI = 2–12)% more cells phagocytosing and 2,900 (95% HDI = 2,600–3,200) more bacteria ingested/cell. Twelve and 40 days after calving, TMS-treated cows had 0.65 (95% HDI = 0.17–1.17) x 109 and 0.28 (95% HDI = 0.00–0.59) x 109 more lymphocytes/L. Lymphocytes comprised 10 (95% HDI = 3–18)% and 5 (95% HDI = 0–9)% more of the WBCC, and the lymphocyte count was 30 (95% HDI = 11–51)% and 9 (95% HDI = 0–9)% more than controls. There were no meaningful differences in ROS, SAC, ROS/SAC, other white blood cells, or WBCC. Plasma Cu, Se and GPx concentrations were above recommended thresholds. Conclusions Pre-calving TMS injection was associated with differences in white blood cell population and function that may reduce the risk of disease. Abbreviations BHOB: Beta-hydroxybutyrate; GPx: Glutathione peroxidase; HDI: Highest density interval; MESF: Molecules of equivalent soluble fluorophore; OSi: Oxidative stress index; PSC: Planned start of calving; ROPE: Region of probable equivalence; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; SAC: Serum antioxidant capacity; THI: Temperature humidity index; TMS: Trace mineral supplement; WAIC: Widely applicable information criterion; WBCC: White blood cell count.
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    Effect of Divergent Feeding Regimes During Early Life on the Rumen Microbiota in Calves
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2021-10-20) Cristobal-Carballo O; McCoard SA; Cookson AL; Laven RA; Ganesh S; Lewis SJ; Muetzel S; Morgavi DP
    The objective of this study was to determine whether divergent feeding regimes during the first 41 weeks of the life of a calf are associated with long-term changes in the rumen microbiota and the associated fermentation end-products. Twenty-four calves (9 ± 5 days of age) were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design with two divergent treatments across three dietary phases. In phase 1 (P01), calves were offered a low-milk volume/concentrate starter diet with early weaning (CO) or high-milk volume/pasture diet and late weaning (FO). In phase 2 (P02), calves from both groups were randomly allocated to either high-quality (HQ) or low-quality (LQ) pasture grazing groups. In phase 3 (P03), calves were randomly allocated to one of two grazing groups and offered the same pasture-only diet. During each dietary phase, methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2) emissions and dry matter intake (DMI) were measured in respiration chambers, and rumen samples for the evaluation of microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) characterizations were collected. In P01, CO calves had a higher solid feed intake but a lower CH4 yield (yCH4) and acetate:propionate ratio (A:P) compared with FO calves. The ruminal bacterial community had lower proportions of cellulolytic bacteria in CO than FO calves. The archaeal community was dominated by Methanobrevibacter boviskoreani in CO calves and by Mbb. gottschalkii in FO calves. These differences, however, did not persist into P02. Calves offered HQ pastures had greater DMI and lower A:P ratio than calves offered LQ pastures, but yCH4 was similar between groups. The cellulolytic bacteria had lower proportions in HQ than LQ calves. In all groups, the archaeal community was dominated by Mbb. gottschalkii. No treatment interactions were observed in P02. In P03, all calves had similar DMI, CH4 and H2 emissions, SCFA proportions, and microbial compositions, and no interactions with previous treatments were observed. These results indicate that the rumen microbiota and associated fermentation end-products are driven by the diet consumed at the time of sampling and that previous dietary interventions do not lead to a detectable long-term microbial imprint or changes in rumen function.
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    Effect of Methane Inhibitors on Ruminal Microbiota During Early Life and Its Relationship With Ruminal Metabolism and Growth in Calves
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2021-09-16) Cristobal-Carballo O; McCoard SA; Cookson AL; Ganesh S; Lowe K; Laven RA; Muetzel S; Morgavi DP
    The present study aimed to determine whether dietary supplementation with methanogen inhibitors during early life may lead to an imprint on the rumen microbial community and change the rumen function and performance of calves to 49-weeks of rearing. Twenty-four 4-day-old Friesian x Jersey cross calves were randomly assigned into a control and a treatment group. Treated calves were fed a combination of chloroform (CF) and 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) in the solid diets during the first 12 weeks of rearing. Afterward, calves were grouped by treatments until week 14, and then managed as a single group on pasture. Solid diets and water were offered ad libitum. Methane measurements, and sample collections for rumen metabolite and microbial community composition were carried out at the end of weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 24 and 49. Animal growth and dry matter intake (DMI) were regularly monitored over the duration of the experiment. Methane emissions decreased up to 90% whilst hydrogen emissions increased in treated compared to control calves, but only for up to 2 weeks after treatment cessation. The near complete methane inhibition did not affect calves' DMI and growth. The acetate:propionate ratio decreased in treated compared to control calves during the first 14 weeks but was similar at weeks 24 and 49. The proportions of Methanobrevibacter and Methanosphaera decreased in treated compared to control calves during the first 14 weeks; however, at week 24 and 49 the archaea community was similar between groups. Bacterial proportions at the phylum level and the abundant bacterial genera were similar between treatment groups. In summary, methane inhibition increased hydrogen emissions, altered the methanogen community and changed the rumen metabolite profile without major effects on the bacterial community composition. This indicated that the main response of the bacterial community was not a change in composition but rather a change in metabolic pathways. Furthermore, once methane inhibition ceased the methanogen community, rumen metabolites and hydrogen emissions became similar between treatment groups, indicating that perhaps using the treatments tested in this study, it is not possible to imprint a low methane microbiota into the rumen in the solid feed of pre-weaned calves.
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    Evaluating Alternatives to Locomotion Scoring for Detecting Lameness in Pasture-Based Dairy Cattle in New Zealand: In-Parlour Scoring
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-03-11) Werema CW; Yang DA; Laven LJ; Mueller KR; Laven RA; Kofler J
    Earlier detection followed by efficient treatment can reduce the impact of lameness. Currently, locomotion scoring (LS) is the most widely used method of early detection but has significant limitations in pasture-based cattle and is not commonly used routinely in New Zealand. Scoring in the milking parlour may be more achievable, so this study compared an in-parlour scoring (IPS) technique with LS in pasture-based dairy cows. For nine months on two dairy farms, whole herd LS (4-point 0−3 scale) was followed 24 h later by IPS, with cows being milked. Observed for shifting weight, abnormal weight distribution, swollen heel or hock joint, and overgrown hoof. Every third cow was scored. Sensitivity and specificity of individual IPS indicators and one or more, two or more or three positive indicators for detecting cows with locomotion scores ≥ 2 were calculated. Using a threshold of two or more positive indicators were optimal (sensitivity > 92% and specificity > 98%). Utilising the IPS indicators, a decision tree machine learning procedure classified cows with locomotion score class ≥2 with a true positive rate of 75% and a false positive rate of 0.2%. IPS has the potential to be an alternative to LS on pasture-based dairy farms.
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    Evaluating the Effect of Preventative Trimming on Distance from the Sole Surface to the Distal Phalanx Using Ultrasonography for Lameness Prevention in Pasture-Based Dairy Cows.
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-02-01) Werema CW; Laven LJ; Mueller KR; Laven RA; Bø-Granquist EG
    One common management strategy used to reduce the risk of lameness is prophylactic claw trimming. However, in pasture-based cattle, there is a concern that the immediate reduction in sole thickness resulting from sole trimming will lead to medium-to-long-term reductions in sole thickness, which may increase the risk of lameness. Nevertheless, there is a lack of data on sole thickness and trimming in pasture-based cows. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of trimming on sole thickness over the medium-to-long term, as estimated using the ultrasound-measured distance from the external claw sole surface to the distal phalanx (DDP) and of DDP on the interval between calving and increased locomotion scores. A total of 38 cows were randomly selected from a 940-cow spring calving dairy farm in the North Island of New Zealand; 18 were allocated to the ultrasound hoof-trimming group and 20 were allocated to the ultrasound non-trimming group. Starting in May 2018, at the end of the 2017/18 lactation, ultrasound measurements of DDP of the right hind hoof were made on all 38 cows, and the hindlimbs of the trimming group cows were trimmed by an experienced professional hoof trimmer using the five-step Dutch method. This was repeated in October 2018 (early lactation) and May 2019 (late lactation). After calving, the cows were locomotion scored fortnightly until the end of lactation using the 4-point (0-3) scale DairyNZ system. The effect of DDP on the interval between calving and the first locomotion scores ≥1 and ≥2 was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models, and the association between trimming and DDP was explored using linear mixed models. The results suggest that DDP has no effect on the time to locomotion scores ≥1 or ≥2, although the wide confidence intervals of the latter suggest that more data are needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. The study failed to find any clinically important impact of prophylactic trimming on DDP. This is likely related to the finding that cows with the highest DDP at the first trimming were identified by the hoof trimmer as those needing the most trimming. The results of this study thus suggest that if the Dutch five-step method is properly applied, it is unlikely to affect sole thickness over the short-to-medium term in pasture-based cattle.
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    Factors Affecting the Perception and Practice of Iranian Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Pastoralists in Regard to Biosecurity Practices in Sheep and Goat Farms: A Cross-Sectional and Prospective Study
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-03-01) Hatami Z; Laven RA; Jafari-Gh S; Moazez-Lesko M; Soleimani P; Jafari-Gh A; Eila N; Yadi J; Sinafar M; Leury BJ
    Preventing the spread of diseases between and within farms (biosecurity) is essential for minimizing animal mortality and morbidity, as well as for reducing the risk of spread of zoonotic diseases. These effects are even greater in countries such as Iran, which have to deal with multiple ongoing epidemics of infectious disease. However, there is currently no published information about biosecurity practices on sheep and goat farms in Iran in published research. The aim of this study was to collect such information and to identify some of the factors affecting biosecurity practices. Data were gathered using a checklist and in-depth interviews with 99 nomadic and semi-nomadic pastoralists. Regression analysis was used to identify the relationships between the collected variables and the biosecurity scores. The results showed that neither within- nor between-farm disease prevention measures were appropriately applied on most farms (median total score of total biosecurity was 37.3/90; Q1 = 29.0 and Q3 = 44.7). Almost all the farmers reported slaughtering animals on farms and nobody properly disposed of the bodies of the dead animals. Additionally, the majority of the participants did not disinfect the umbilical cords of newborns. Of the collected variables, the annual mortality rate was associated with most within-farm biosecurity practices. The increase in annual mortality rates was associated with the regular cleaning of troughs (p = 0.03), preventing feed and water from being contaminated by urine and feces (p = 0.02), providing a clean and dry place for animals to rest (p = 0.05) and disinfecting the navel cord (p = 0.03). The results of this survey suggest that there is a clear need for extension programs to enhance Iranian and sheep and goat farmers’ perceptions and practices regarding biosecurity measures.
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    Farm-level risk factors and treatment protocols for lameness in New Zealand dairy cattle.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-05-08) Mason WA; Müller KR; Laven LJ; Huxley JN; Laven RA
    Aims To identify farm-level risk factors for dairy cow lameness, and to describe lameness treatment protocols used on New Zealand dairy farms. Methods One hundred and nineteen farms from eight veterinary clinics within the major dairying regions of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional lameness prevalence study. Each farmer completed a questionnaire on lameness risk factors and lameness treatment and management. Trained observers lameness scored cattle on two occasions, between October–December (spring, coinciding with peak lactation for most farms) and between January–March (summer, late lactation for most farms). A four-point (0–3) scoring system was used to assess lameness, with animals with a lameness score (LS) ≥2 defined as lame. At each visit, all lactating animals were scored including animals that had previously been identified lame by the farmer. Associations between the farmer-reported risk factors and lameness were determined using mixed logistic regression models in a Bayesian framework, with farm and score event as random effects. Results A lameness prevalence of 3.5% (2,113/59,631) was reported at the first LS event, and 3.3% (1,861/55,929) at the second LS event. There was a median prevalence of 2.8% (min 0, max 17.0%) from the 119 farms. Most farmers (90/117; 77%) relied on informal identification by farm staff to identify lame animals. On 65% (75/116) of farms, there was no external provider of lame cow treatments, with the farmer carrying out all lame cow treatments. Most farmers had no formal training (69/112; 62%). Animals from farms that used concrete stand-off pads during periods of inclement weather had 1.45 times the odds of lameness compared to animals on farms that did not use concrete stand-off pads (95% equal-tailed credible interval 1.07–1.88). Animals from farms that reported peak lameness incidence from January to June or all year-round, had 0.64 times odds of lameness compared to animals from farms that reported peak lameness incidence from July to December (95% equal-tailed credible interval 0.47–0.88). Conclusions Lameness prevalence was low amongst the enrolled farms. Use of concrete stand-off pads and timing of peak lameness incidence were associated with odds of lameness. Clinical relevance Veterinarians should be encouraging farmers to have formal lameness identification protocols and lameness management plans in place. There is ample opportunity to provide training to farmers for lame cow treatment. Management of cows on stand-off pads should consider the likely impact on lameness.
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    First report of the within-farm prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis in Chinese Holstein dairy cows in Jiangsu, China: A Bayesian modelling approach
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2024-06) Ma X; Laven RA; Jiang P; Yang DA
    Digital dermatitis is one of the most important causes of lameness in dairy cattle, particularly in housed, intensively-managed cattle. The number of modern intensive dairy farms in China has increased markedly in recent years; however, we lack research on digital dermatitis in Chinese dairy cattle. This preliminary study aimed to estimate the prevalence of digital dermatitis on three conveniently selected farms in Jiangsu, China. The washed hind feet of all lactating cows on all three farms were examined during milking with the aid of a mobile phone light source. True prevalence was then estimated from the apparent prevalence using a Bayesian superpopulation approach to account for the imperfect nature of identifying digital dermatitis in cows during milking. Despite none of the farms having thought it necessary to implement routine digital dermatitis monitoring or control, the disease was found on all three sampled farms. All lesions observed were either chronic M4 or M4.1 type-lesions, with no M2 lesions (i.e. acute ulcerated lesions) observed. The estimated true prevalences on the farms were 7.3% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 5.4%-9.6%), 8.3% (95%CrI: 6.3%-10.8%), and 29.8% (95%CrI: 22.9%-37.2%).
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    Investigating the effect of prophylactic claw trimming on the interval between calving and first observed elevated locomotion score in pasture-based dairy cows.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-11-01) Werema CW; Hoekstra F; Laven LJ; Müller KR; Gifford D; Laven RA
    AIMS: To evaluate, in a pasture-based dairy herd, the response to a three-time point hoof trimming regime on lameness incidence and time from calving to observation of an elevated locomotion score (LS). METHODS: This study was conducted on a 940-cow spring-calving herd in New Zealand's North Island between May 2018 and May 2019. Cows (n = 250) were randomly allocated to the hoof trimming group, with the remainder assigned to the non-trim cohort. One trained professional hoof trimmer used the five-step Dutch method to trim the hind feet of the trimming group. Throughout the subsequent production season, the whole herd was locomotion-scored fortnightly using the 4-point (0-3) Dairy NZ lameness score. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to assess the univariable effect of trimming on the interval between calving and first LS of ≥ 2 and first LS ≥ 1. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to further evaluate the effect of trimming on time to elevated LS. RESULTS: Mean lameness (LS ≥ 2) prevalence was 2.6%, with 30% of cows having ≥ 4 observations during the study period when at least one LS was ≥ 2. For LS ≥ 1, mean prevalence was 40%, with 98.6% of cows having ≥ 4 observations during the study period when at least one LS was ≥ 1 during lactation. Hoof trimming had no apparent effect on the incidence of clinical lameness (LS ≥ 2) (trimmed vs. non-trimmed: 33.2% vs. 28.8%, respectively), but for LS ≥ 1, there was a small decrease in the incidence of LS ≥ 1 (trimmed vs. non-trimmed: 96.9% vs. 99.3%, respectively). The hazard of a cow having a first observed LS ≥ 2 in the control group was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.66-1.14) times that of the trimmed group; however, the hazard of a cow having a first LS ≥ 1 was 1.60 (95% CI = 1.37-1.88) times higher in the control than in the trimmed group. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: On this farm, prophylactic hoof trimming had no clinically relevant impact on the incidence of clinical lameness and was not associated with clinically beneficial reductions in time to first observed LS ≥ 2. This may be because claw horn imbalance was not pronounced on this farm, with 53% of cows needing no trim on either hind limb on the first trimming occasion. Further research on the response to prophylactic trimming in pasture-based dairy cattle is required.
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    Lameness recovery rates following treatment of dairy cattle with claw horn lameness in the Waikato region of New Zealand.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-09-01) Mason W; Laven LJ; Cooper M; Laven RA
    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.
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    Performance of the StaphGold ELISA test in determining subclinical Staphylococcus aureus infections in dairy cows using a Gaussian mixture model
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2022-07-20) Yang DA; Laven RA
    BACKGROUND: A novel ELISA test has been developed to detect antigen-specific IgG in early and late lactation cows in New Zealand. OBJECTIVES: This study was to evaluate the discriminatory ability of the ELISA based on the detection of S. aureus-specific IgG as a screening test. METHODS: The ELISA was used for the composite milk samples taken during routine herd testing in 2018-2019 milking season in New Zealand. In the absence of a gold standard test, the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity was estimated using a Gaussian mixture model. RESULTS: The ELISA test had a high accuracy (AUC = 0.98) to detect antigen-specific IgG in early and late lactation cows with high somatic cell count due to either subsequent to or contemporaneous with the S. aureus invasion. Using an S/P ratio = 0.3 as the cut-off value, the ELISA test has sensitivity of 0.9 and specificity of 0.95, while the sensitivity increased to 0.94 at a cost of a decreased specificity of 0.9 at a lower cut-off value 0.26. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of the ELISA test as a screening tool into specific control programs may be useful to reduce the spread of S. aureus infections, to aid with treatment decisions, and to establish a correct milking order.
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    Persistence of orthopaedic hoof blocks for the treatment of lame cattle kept permanently at pasture.
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-09-01) Müller KR; Laven RA; Laven LJ
    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.
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    Randomized clinical trial investigating the effect of exercise and standing on concrete prior to first calving on time to first lameness event in dairy heifers
    (Elsevier Inc and Fass Inc on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association, 2022-09) Mason WA; Huxley JL; Laven RA
    This controlled clinical trial investigated if an intervention immediately before the first calving event could reduce lameness incidence in pasture-based dairy heifers. Seven hundred ninety heifers across 6 farms in the Waikato region of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into treatment or control groups at a ratio of 1:1. The treatment consisted of heifers walking approximately 1 km from pasture along the farm race, standing on concrete for one hour, and then walking back to their paddock. This occurred once a day, 5 times a week, for 5 wk before calving. The control heifers were managed solely at pasture before calving. Just before calving, both groups were bought together and managed as one group for the remainder of the study. Heifers were followed for up to 28 wk, with fortnightly lameness scores collected to identify animals with a lameness score of ≥2 (lameness score 0–3). Lameness could also be diagnosed by the farmers, who had no formal lameness scoring training. The primary outcome of interest was time to first lame event. Secondary outcomes included milk solid production, change in body condition score during early lactation, time from onset of breeding season until conception, feasibility of the regimen and change in sole soft tissue thickness and profile. From a total of 782 heifers that had data collected on the outcomes, 102 (13.0%) individual first lameness events were recorded, 53 in heifers in the treatment group and 49 in control heifers. Of those 102 lameness events, 51 were first diagnosed by farmers. No apparent differences were detected in the hazard rate for time to first lame event between heifers in the 2 treatment groups. Treatment heifers had a 1.12 times hazard rate (95% confidence interval: 0.65–1.95) of a lame event compared with control heifers. No associations were identified between heifers in the 2 groups for any of the secondary outcome measures. However, farmers did report that the intervention was practical and easy to implement. It is possible that the intervention did not challenge the hoof enough, and that longer duration and distances walked may have resulted in a different outcome. Although no improvement in lameness outcomes were reported, no negative effects during and after the intervention were noted in animals in the intervention group. Further research into the area of lameness prevention is needed as there are few evidence-based solutions available to reduce lameness incidence in pasture-based systems.
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    Reduction in morbidity and mortality of dairy calves from an injectable trace mineral supplement
    (BMJ Group on behalf of the British Veterinary Association, 2019-06-01) Bates A; Wells M; Laven RA; Simpson M
    The effect of a multimineral preparation on the health and growth of spring born, dairy calves was investigated on four New Zealand pastoral farms. Calves were randomly allocated injections within 24 hours of birth, 35 days and 70 days after birth. Injections contained 40 mg zinc, 10 mg manganese, 5 mg selenium, 15 mg copper and 5 mg chromium per ml (Multimin+Se+ Cu+Cr Cattle, Virbac South Africa) at 1 ml/50 kg body weight. Morbidity, mortality from natural challenge and growth rates were recorded for 140 days. There were no differences in morbidity and mortality within 48 hours of birth for treated calves compared with controls, P=0.192. Morbidity and mortality were highest at 3-35 days (7.5 per cent [95 per cent CI 5.00 to 9.99] treated calves sick and 15.6 per cent [95 per cent CI 12.48 to 18.73] controls sick, P<0.001). For this period, mortality was lower at 4.4 per cent (95 per cent CI 2.49 to 6.41) treated calves and 10.4 per cent (95 per cent CI 7.78 to 13.03) controls, P<0.001. Allowing for potential confounders, the adjusted OR of treated calves scouring between 3 and 35 days was 0.44 (95 per cent CI 0.24 to 0.82, P=0.009). Allowing for potential confounders, from 0 to 140 days a second model predicted treatment approximately halved the probability of morbidity and mortality (P<0.001). There was no difference in the daily rate of gain (0.67 kg/day [95 per cent CI 0.66 to 0.67] for treated calves).
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    Repeatability of whole herd lameness scoring: an analysis of a New Zealand dataset
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-09-03) Laven RA; Mason WA; Laven LJ; Müller KR
    AIMS: To assess whether a whole-herd lameness score on a New Zealand dairy farm in spring could predict lameness prevalence on the same farm in summer (and vice versa) and whether a single-herd lameness score could be used to determine whether herd lameness prevalence was < 5% in both spring and summer. METHODS: Prevalence data (proportion of the herd with lameness score ≥ 2 and with score 3; 0-3 scale) from a study where 120 dairy farms across New Zealand were scored in spring and in the following summer were analysed using limits-of-agreement analysis. In addition, farms were categorised as having either acceptable welfare (lameness prevalence < 5% in both spring and summer) or not (lameness prevalence ≥ 5% in either spring or summer or both). The accuracy and specificity of a single, whole-herd lameness score at identifying herds with acceptable welfare were then calculated. RESULTS: The limits-of-agreement analysis suggests that 95% of the time, the prevalence of lameness in summer would be expected to be between 0.23 and 4.3 times that of the prevalence in spring. The specificity and accuracy of identifying a farm as acceptable on both occasions from a single observation were, respectively, 74% and 92% in spring, and 59% and 87% in summer. CONCLUSIONS: A single, one-off, whole-herd lameness score does not accurately predict future lameness prevalence. Similarly, acceptable status (lameness prevalence < 5%) in one season is not sufficiently specific to be used to predict welfare status in subsequent seasons. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Whole-herd lameness scoring should be used principally as a means of detecting lame cows for treatment. A single whole-herd lameness score by an independent assessor should not be used to determine a herd's welfare status.