Investigation of lameness and claw disorders in New Zealand dairy goats : a multidisciplinary approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
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Date
2022
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Massey University
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Abstract
New Zealand dairy goat farmers have problems preventing and treating lameness caused by claw disorders within their herds. There is scarce information about lameness and claw disorders in commercial dairy goat herds nationally and internationally. The two aims of this thesis were: to acquire information on the level of clinical lameness and the types and level of claw disorders present on three dairy goat farms in New Zealand and to explore the epidemiological, productivity, and genetic aspects of lameness and claw disorders. Information on lameness and claw disorders was collected on herds 4 or 5 times between July 2019 and June 2020. Additional information collected were age, stage of lactation, milk production, pedigree, kidding date, and lactation type. The prevalence of clinical lameness and claw disorders fluctuated across the production year at levels that differed on each farm. Farm A had the highest average of clinical lameness (23%), followed by farms B and C (12 and 10%, respectively). For the investigation of claw disorders, the main claw disorders studied were horn separation, granulomas, and rot. Farm C had the highest prevalence of horn separation (83%), while farm A had the highest prevalence of rot and granulomas (19 and 14%). Rot and granulomas increased the odds of clinical lameness (OR= 2.10-7.02). Compared to goats walking normally, severe lameness had the highest milk production losses of 7.10% and 8.56% in extended and seasonal lactation goats, respectively. The average income losses ranged from NZD 26 to 104 per goat. The heritability (h2) estimates for lameness occurrence and susceptibility were 0.07 and 0.13, respectively, and the h2 estimates of claw disorder susceptibilities ranged from 0.02 to 0.23.
This thesis identified that clinical lameness caused by claw disorders is a problem on dairy goat farms in New Zealand and reported the negative impact of severe lameness on milk production. Additionally, breeding for resistance or tolerance of clinical lameness and claw disorder may be possible. Further large-scale studies are needed to understand the risk factors of clinical lameness and claw disorders. Small-scale studies are required to investigate effective treatments to manage claw disorders in dairy goats.
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Goats, Claws, Diseases, Dairying, Goat farming, New Zealand