Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-30T03:38:38.945Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The puncture force of hoof horn from New Zealand Friesian and Jersey Cross Friesian dairy cattle breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

L. A. Lethbridge
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
J. K. Margerison*
Affiliation:
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Get access

Extract

Globally up to 60% of dairy cattle can become lame at least once a year (Vermunt and Greenough, 2005). Sole lesions have been found to be one of the most common causes of lameness in both NZ (Tranter and Morris, 1991; Chesterton, 2004) and the UK (Kossaibati et al., 1999; Logue, 1999). In most studies it was found that these hoof horn lesions develop in postpartum animals and in hind claws (Greenough and Vermunt, 1991) and that these are associated with a significant reduction in the puncture force of the hoof (Winkler and Margerison, 2003). There has been some anecdotal reference to lower levels of lameness and harder hoof horn occurring in Jersey and Jersey cross bred cattle, compared with Friesian dairy cattle. However no studies have measured or compared the structural strength of hoof horn within these breeds. The aim of this research was to assess the force to puncture of the hoof horn from differing claws and regions of claws in prepartum New Zealand Friesian (F) and Jersey cross Friesian (Jersey x) dairy breeds.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chesterton, R. N. 2004. Proceedings of the Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians of the NZVA. Pp 35–39.Google Scholar
Greenough, P.R. and Vermunt, J.J. 1991. Veterinary Record. 128: 11–17.Google Scholar
Kossaibati, M.A., Esslemont, R.J. and Watson, C. 1999. Proceedings of the National Cattle Lameness Conference. 1999: 2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Logue, D.N. 1999. Proceedings of the National Cattle Lameness Conference 1999: 2.Google Scholar
Tranter, W.P., Morris, R.S.; Dohho, I.R. and Williamson, N.B. 1993. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 15: 191–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermunt, J. J. and Greenough, P. R. 1995. British Veterinary Journal. 151: 157–180.Google Scholar
Winkler, B. and Margerison, J.K. 2003. Journal Animal Science. 81: Suppl. 1 (Abstract) p84.Google Scholar