Moderate lameness leads to marked behavioral changes in dairy cows

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Lameness significantly impacts dairy cow welfare and production.
• Early detection of lameness is crucial for timely intervention and improved animal health.
• Behavioral changes in severely lame cows are well-documented, but effects of moderate lameness require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the behavior of nonlame and moderately lame cows to identify early indicators of lameness.
• To investigate the effects of moderate lameness on lying behavior, locomotor activity, neck activity, feeding, and rumination.

Main Methods:

• Behavioral data collected from 142 nonlame and 66 moderately lame cows across 17 Swiss dairy farms over two 48-h periods.
• Utilized accelerometers (MSR145) for lying behavior and activity monitoring.
• Employed noseband sensors (RumiWatch halter) to record feeding and rumination.
• Recorded visits to feeders/brushes and milking order position.

Main Results:

• Moderately lame cows showed longer lying duration, longer lying bouts, and increased lateral asymmetry in lying.
• Reduced locomotor and neck activity, decreased eating time, and fewer eating chews were observed in moderately lame cows.
• Moderately lame cows visited the concentrate feeder and brush less frequently and had a later milking order position.

Conclusions:

• Significant and biologically relevant behavioral differences exist between nonlame and moderately lame cows.
• Observed behavioral changes in moderately lame cows show promise for developing tools for early lameness detection.
• Monitoring specific behavioral patterns can aid in proactive dairy herd management and welfare.