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Evaluation of external claw dimensions and internal solear soft tissue characteristics in Holstein-Friesian cattle of varying ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

D E Cross
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA, UK
H Galbraith
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA, UK
D Finn
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA, UK
M Birnie
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5UA, UK
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Extract

Lameness is a well-recognised welfare problem which causes suffering to the dairy cow and economic losses to the dairy industry. Major lesion incidence occurs in the claw (Logue et al., 1995). Claw lesions include those of the white line, solear haemorrhage and solear ulceration and are associated with damage to the underlying soft tissues and reductions in claw horn quality. Claw horn is formed from proliferation of epidermal cells in the stratum germinativum bordering the basement membrane and dermis (corium). Dermal-epidermal interactions are important in good quality horn formation and one aim of the study was to characterise physical dimensions of soft tissue containing these regions in female dairy cattle of varying ages. A second aim was to determine external claw dimensions and relate these to developmental processes within the animals.

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Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1999

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References

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