[Systematic control of claw health in cows raised in loose housing systems for the total year]

Claw health was systematically checked and recorded in the dairy herd of the experimental and teaching unit at Oberschleissheim. The project started in March 1988 and ended in July 1989. In total 158 dairy cows and 50 heifers of the breeds German Black and White as well as German Simmental were examined for claw health at intervals of six weeks. Heel erosion was diagnosed most frequently, followed by interdigital dermatitis and contusion of the sole. Contusions and ulcerations of the sole were located especially in the claws of the hindleg. More than 90 percent of lameness occurred in the hindleg. Frequency and severity of claw disorders were reduced significantly over the 1.5 year period of systematic veterinary supervision of claw health. Thirty percent of dairy cows were diagnosed as having not any claw disorder at the end of the investigation period. The percentage of dairy cows without any claw disorder was increased by 5-10 percent. Cows of the breed German Simmental in their first lactation were a high risk group for contusions of the sole. The repeatability of the claw measurements of angle of the dorsal wall, length of the dorsal wall and of the heel, height of the heel, diagonal length of the claw and ground surface was usually 0.5 and higher. For the claw disorders heel erosion, interdigital hyperplasia and in part contusions of the sole, fairly high correlations were estimated between heifers and cows as well as between consecutive lactations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)