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Lameness Newsletter

Summer 2020

How Dairy Cow Lameness Causes A Fall In Fertility

It’s easy to understand how lameness glandin (PGF2α) – a chemical messen- 1. Huxley J.N. 2013. Impact of lameness
can cause a drop in milk production, ger that is important in the regulation and claw lesions in cows on health and
by 270-850 kg per lactation . Pain of the cow’s oestrus cycle. Chronic in- production Livestock Science. 156: 64-
3
1
and discomfort can quickly cause a flammatory changes in the tissues of 70.
change in feeding patterns, including the foot can take some time to treat, 2. Huxley – Are lameness and infertil-
an impaired ability to consume ad- so these effects can be longer lasting. ity in dairy cows linked? Cattle practice
equate levels of grass and water plus 2009 Vol 17; 13- 15
a reduced desire to stand or walk for All these factors combine, meaning 3. https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-
long periods, preventing optimal food the effects of lameness on fertility can a-z/cattle/fertility-in-dairy-herds-ad-
intake. be quite marked: vanced/part-5-the-impact-of-mastitis-
• Cows are 9 times more likely to need and-lameness-on-fertility/
But why should fertility be affected an increased number of services com-
by lameness? There are several factors pared to the herd average 3
that need to be considered: 2 • There is a 3.5 times increased risk of
• Reduced feed intake, resulting in delayed cyclicity 2
negative energy balance. The loss of • The calving to conception interval
weight and condition can start even can increase by up to 50 days 2
before lameness is observed.
• Behaviour – it may be more difficult Is there something more you could
to identify the signs of oestrus in lame be doing to manage lameness in
cows and these may be less obvious or your herds?
apparent for shorter periods.
• Stress can have an adverse effect on Did you know a recent study has shown that
ovarian function and follicular devel-
opment, with a potential delay in cy- using a pain-relief NSAID alongside a trim
cling or in the timing of ovulation. and block results in a faster and more com-
• Inflammation can be associated plete recovery from lameness?*
with an increase in the service to con-
ception interval. This may be caused *Griffiths B.E. & Oikonomou G. 2017. An epidemiological study into the prevalence
by an increased production of prosta- of dairy cattle lameness and associated risk factors in England and Wales. Cattle
Practice. 25 (3) 257-258.