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Identifying risk factors for poor hind limb cleanliness in Danish loose-housed dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2011

B. H. Nielsen ,
P. T. Thomsen  and
J. T. Sørensen
B. H. Nielsen*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
P. T. Thomsen
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
J. T. Sørensen
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
*
†E-mail: BodilH.Nielsen@djf.au.dk
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify possible risk factors for poor cow hind limb cleanliness in Danish loose-housed, lactating dairy cows. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study of 1315 cows in 42 commercial Danish dairy herds with primarily Danish Holstein cows. The effect of four cow-level factors (parity, days in milk, daily lying time and lameness) and eight herd-level factors (herd size, milk production, milking system, floor type, access to pasture grazing, floor scraping frequency, hoof bathing frequency and hoof washing frequency) on the risk of having dirtier hind limbs were analysed using ordinal logistic regression fitting a proportional odds model. Cow hind limb cleanliness was scored using an ordinal score from 1 to 4: 1 being clean and 4 being covered in dirt. The odds ratios (ORs) estimated from the proportional odds model depict the effect of a risk factor on the odds of having a higher rather than a lower cleanliness score. First parity cows had an increased risk of being dirtier compared with third parity or older cows (OR = 1.70). Compared with late lactation, early and mid lactation were associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR = 2.07 and 1.33, respectively). Decreasing the daily time lying by 30 min was associated with an increased risk of being dirtier (OR = 1.05). Furthermore, an increased risk of being dirtier was found in herds with no pasture access (OR = 3.75).

Keywords

dairy cowcleanlinesshooves
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 5 , Issue 10 , 26 August 2011 , pp. 1613 - 1619
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

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