Histopathological changes in digits of dairy cows affected with sole ulcers

Forty-eight digits of 8 dairy cows, which had been diagnosed as sole ulcers in one or two hooves, were examined histopathologically and classified into 5 grades on the basis of the severity of the circulatory disturbances and of keratogenesis. All the cows had significantly higher grades than normal cows. Although hind lateral digits were most severely damaged, there were no significant differences in the grades among claw positions except hind lateral digits. From these results, it is suggested that the cows affected with sole ulcers had some systemic factors predisposing all the digits to digital disorders.