Stochastic simulation modeling of the economics of providing additional living space for housed dairy cows.

The housed environment for dairy cattle is of critical importance to their health, wellbeing, and productivity. Lack of space is an important factor for housing quality assessment due to links with increased likelihood of disease. A recently published randomized controlled trial identified that greater living space provision increased lying time, milk volume production, and also increased time to conception.

Naturalistic Eye Movement Tasks in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: Eye tracking assessments in the laboratory have previously highlighted clear differences in eye movements between Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy aging. However, laboratory-based eye movement tasks are artificial and limit the ecological validity of observed results. Eye movement tasks utilizing more naturalistic scenarios may provide more accurate insight into cognitive function but research in this area is limited.

Farm-level risk factors and treatment protocols for lameness in New Zealand dairy cattle.

Aims: To identify farm-level risk factors for dairy cow lameness, and to describe lameness treatment protocols used on New Zealand dairy farms.

Methods: One hundred and nineteen farms from eight veterinary clinics within the major dairying regions of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional lameness prevalence study. Each farmer completed a questionnaire on lameness risk factors and lameness treatment and management.

Prevalence of lameness on pasture-based New Zealand dairy farms: An observational study.

To understand the current impact of lameness on a system, it is important to define lameness prevalence across a range of dairy farms in that system. Prevalence estimates from dairy systems where cows are permanently managed at pasture are uncommon, although the limited data suggest that they have a lower lameness prevalence than housed cattle. One hundred and 20 farms from eight of the major dairying regions of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional lameness prevalence study.

Can lameness prevalence in dairy herds be predicted from farmers' reports of their motivation to control lameness and barriers to doing so? An observational study from New Zealand.

Understanding what motivates and prevents behavioral change in farmers is a critical step in disease control in dairy cattle. A total of 101 New Zealand dairy farmers across 8 regions were randomly enrolled into a cross-sectional study to investigate farmer barriers and motivators to lameness control for cows managed 100% at pasture and the relationship between these responses and the true lameness status on farm. Trained technicians lameness scored all lactating cows on the enrolled farms on 2 occasions during one lactation.

Cardiac morphology of North Island brown kiwi ().

Aims: To investigate the cardiac anatomy of North Island brown kiwi () through heart morphometric parameters measured at post-mortem examination.

Methods: Morphometric cardiac parameters were established at post-mortem examination of 20 North Island brown kiwi. Birds were classified by gender and age (chicks adults).

Hoof lesions in partly housed pasture-based dairy cows.

Lameness is a symptom of a painful disorder affecting the limbs, which impacts dairy cow welfare and productivity. Lameness is primarily caused by hoof lesions. The prevalence of different lesion types can differ depending on environmental conditions and farm management practices.

Graduate Student Literature Review: A systematic review on the associations between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use at the time of diagnosis and treatment of claw horn lameness in dairy cattle and lameness scores, algometer readings, and lying times.

The objectives of this systematic review were to investigate the association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use during the treatment of claw horn lameness in dairy cattle and locomotion score (LS), nociceptive threshold, and lying times. A total of 229 studies were initially identified and had their title and abstract screened. From this, we screened the full text of 23 articles, identifying 6 articles for inclusion in the systematic review.

Randomized clinical trial investigating the effect of exercise and standing on concrete prior to first calving on time to first lameness event in dairy heifers.

This controlled clinical trial investigated if an intervention immediately before the first calving event could reduce lameness incidence in pasture-based dairy heifers. Seven hundred ninety heifers across 6 farms in the Waikato region of New Zealand were randomly enrolled into treatment or control groups at a ratio of 1:1. The treatment consisted of heifers walking approximately 1 km from pasture along the farm race, standing on concrete for one hour, and then walking back to their paddock.

Lameness prevalence and management practices on Irish pasture-based dairy farms.

Background: Lameness is a painful disease, which negatively impacts dairy cow production and welfare. The aim of this observational study was to determine herd lameness prevalence, describe current lameness management practices and identify the presence of established risk factors for lameness on Irish pasture-based dairy farms. Farms were visited once during grazing (99 farms) and again during housing (85 farms).

Effects of routine treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at calving and when lame on the future probability of lameness and culling in dairy cows: A randomized controlled trial.

Claw horn lesions (CHL) are reported as the most common cause of lameness in intensive dairy systems. Despite their prevalence, the underlying pathological mechanisms and preventive strategies for CHL remain poorly understood. Recent advances have pointed to the role of inflammation in disease aetiopathogenesis.

A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour.

As a global society, we have a duty to provide suitable care and conditions for farmed livestock to protect animal welfare and ensure the sustainability of our food supply. The suitability and biological impacts of housing conditions for intensively farmed animals is a complex and emotive subject, yet poorly researched, meaning quantitative evidence to inform policy and legislation is lacking. Most dairy cows globally are housed for some duration during the year, largely when climatic conditions are unfavourable.

Preventive hoof trimming in dairy cattle: Determining current practices and identifying future research areas.

Background: The extent to which preventive hoof trimming is implemented on Great Britain's (GB) dairy farms is unknown. The aims of this study were to determine common practices and capture producers' input on key areas that require further research.

Methods: An online survey was conducted over a 4-week period from March to April 2017.

Cow- and herd-level risk factors for lameness in partly housed pasture-based dairy cows.

Lameness in dairy cows is a major animal welfare concern and has substantial economic impact through reduced production and fertility. Previous risk factor analyses have focused on housed systems, rather than those where cows were grazed for the majority of the year and housed only for the winter period. Therefore, the aim of this observational study was to identify a robust set of cow-level and herd-level risk factors for lameness in a pasture-based system, based on predictors from the housing and grazing periods.

Assessing the Feasibility of Retrospective and Prospective Clinical Audit in Farm Animal Veterinary Practice.

As a quality improvement tool, clinical audit has been extensively described in the medical literature. There is scant literature on the use of clinical audit in the farm animal veterinary setting. This study describes the process and feasibility of prospective and retrospective data collection for farm animal clinical audit performed at three different farm animal practices in the United Kingdom.

A history of lameness and low body condition score is associated with reduced digital cushion volume, measured by magnetic resonance imaging, in dairy cattle.

Claw horn lesions (CHL) are the result of a failing of the functional anatomy of the hoof in dairy cows. The digital cushion is understood to be a vital structure in the prevention of CHL. Claw horn lesions have previously been shown to lead to pathological change to the pedal bone; however, their effects on the digital cushion are unknown.

Morphology, adipocyte size, and fatty acid analysis of dairy cattle digital cushions, and the effect of body condition score and age.

The digital cushion is an essential part of maintaining a healthy foot, working to dissipate foot strike and body weight forces and lameness from claw horn disruption lesions. Despite the importance of the digital cushion, little is known about the basic anatomy, adipocyte morphology, and fatty acid composition in relation to age, limb position, and body condition score. In total, 60 claws (from 17 cows) were selected and collected from a herd, ensuring that body condition score data and computed micro-tomography were known for each animal.

Field survey to evaluate space allowances for dairy cows in Great Britain.

Housing conditions can affect health of cows by increasing exposure to biological, chemical, and physical hazards, resulting in increased disease. A report in 2014 indicated that 99% of UK dairy cows are housed during winter months and that an increasing number of farms are committing to year-round indoor-housing management systems. Current literature does not provide a clear understanding of the relationship between cow health, welfare, and production, and the housing environment.

Association of lameness and mastitis with return-to-service oestrus detection in the dairy cow.

Oestrus detection is an important part of maintaining efficient reproductive performance in dairy herds. Both lameness and mastitis are common diseases of dairy cows that may impact oestrus detection. A set of data from 28 herds identified as having good recording of clinical mastitis and lameness incidents was used for the study.

Interobserver agreement of digital dermatitis M-scores for photographs of the hind feet of standing dairy cattle.

Digital dermatitis (DD) is the leading infectious cause of lameness in dairy cattle, and it affects their welfare and productivity worldwide. At the herd level, DD is often assessed while cows are standing in a milking parlor, and lesions are most commonly evaluated using the M-score. The objective of this study was to examine the interobserver agreement for M-scores of the feet of standing cattle, based on digital color photographs of dairy cattle hind feet.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Experiences and Attitudes towards Clinical Audit of Farm Animal Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom.

Clinical audit is a quality improvement tool used to assess and improve the clinical services provided to patients. This is the first study to investigate the extent to which clinical audit is understood and utilised in farm animal veterinary practice. A cross-sectional study to collect experiences and attitudes of farm animal veterinary surgeons in the UK towards clinical audit was conducted using an online nationwide survey.

Use of statistical modelling to investigate the pathogenesis of claw horn disruption lesions in dairy cattle.

Claw horn disruption lesions (CHDLs) in dairy cattle account for a large proportion of lameness. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the evidence surrounding the pathogenesis of CHDLs, in the context of how statistical modelling has contributed to the validity of available evidence and current thinking. Historically, 'subclinical laminitis' has often been used to describe the commonly accepted underlying pathology associated with these lesions, however progress in understanding the aetiopathogenesis of CHDLs and a lack of clear evidence to support the traditional laminitis hypothesis, means use of this terminology has been challenged.