Skin Injuries on the Body and Thigh of Dairy Cows: Associations with Season, Claw Health, Disease Treatment, and other Cow Characteristics

Abstract

An epidemiological study was conducted in 18 dairy herds with the objective to characterize those groups of cows where skin injuries to the body and thighs occurred most frequently. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression. The epidemiologic patterns were different in first and later lactations. In first lactation some degree of injury occurred among 7.7% of 1793 cows. For most cows occurrence of sole ulcer was positively associated with injury while occurrence of heel horn erosion was negatively associated with injury. The association between injury and body weight differed depending on month of calving (significant interaction). Injuries occurred most frequently among high yielding cows. Severe reproductive, metabolic, and/or infectious diseases were associated with injuries. In later lactations some degree of injury occurred among 13.4% of 832 cows in lactations 2 to 9 where severity of injury increased with lactation number. Injuries occurred least frequently at examinations made in the January to March. They occurred most frequently among cows with sole ulcers. Calving in March through October was associated with injuries especially if the cows were treated for limb disorders. Most cases of injuries occurred early or late in lactation or among high or very low yielding cows in lactations 2 to 9.

Sammendrag

En epidemiologisk undersøgelse blev gennemført i 18 malkekobesætninger med formålet at karakterisere de grupper af køer, hvor hudlæsioner på krop og lår forekom hyppigst. Data blev analyseret med multivariabel logistisk regression. De epidemiologiske mønstre var forskellige i første og senere laktationer. Første laktation: Hudlæsioner forekom blandt 7,7% af 1793 køer i første laktation. For størstedelen af køerne var såleknusninger associeret med læsioner, mens forekomst af balleforrådnelse var negativt associeret med læsioner. Kropsvægt var associeret med forekomst af læsioner, men associationen varierede med kælvningsmåned (vekselvirkning). Læsioner forekom hyppigst blandt højtydende køer. Svære reproduktions-, metaboliske og/eller infektiøse lidelser var associerede med læsioner. Senere laktationer: Hudlæsioner forekom blandt 13,4% af 832 køer i anden og senere laktationer. Sværhedsgraden af læsioner øgedes med alderen. Læsioner forekom mindst hyppigt ved undersøgelserne foretaget om vinteren men hyppigst blandt køer med såleknusninger. Kælvning i marts til oktober var associeret med læsioner, specielt når køerne også var behandlet for lemmelidelser. Flest tilfælde af læsioner blev observeret tidligt eller sent i laktationen eller blandt højtydende og meget lavt ydende køer.