Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia
Lameness is one of the greatest constraints on the productivity, health, and welfare of dairy cattle. A cross-sectional study was carried out from March 2021 to September 2021 in Hawassa town with the aim of assessing the prevalence and identifying the associated risk factors of lameness in dairy fa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Medicine International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2732333 |
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| author | Abebe Tesfaye Gessese Abayineh Ayele Mebrie Zemene Kinde Asefa Asmare |
| author_facet | Abebe Tesfaye Gessese Abayineh Ayele Mebrie Zemene Kinde Asefa Asmare |
| author_sort | Abebe Tesfaye Gessese |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lameness is one of the greatest constraints on the productivity, health, and welfare of dairy cattle. A cross-sectional study was carried out from March 2021 to September 2021 in Hawassa town with the aim of assessing the prevalence and identifying the associated risk factors of lameness in dairy farms. The study was conducted on 440 animals belonging to 19 randomly selected intensive dairy farms. Data regarding lameness and its possible risk factors were collected both at animal and farm level using a questionnaire. The results showed that the overall prevalence of lameness was 10.2% (n = 45/440). The association of lameness prevalence with various risk factors including milking status, exercise, age, parity, milk yield, and lactation stage was statistically tested using logistic regression model. There was a significant variation in the prevalence of lameness (P<0.05) between cattle with different milking status, age, parity, milk yield, and stage of lactation by the univariable analysis result. According to the multivariable analysis, only milk yield and lactation stage were statistically associated with the occurrence of lameness. Milking animals (8%) had higher prevalence of lameness than nonmilking (2.2%). The occurrence of lameness increased with milk yield. The highest prevalence of lameness was recorded in the early stage of lactation. Lameness was more frequent in hind limbs (6.6%) than in forelimbs (3.6%). The main causes of lameness observed in this study were both claw overgrowth 10 (2.3%), unequal claw size 10 (2.3%), solar ulcer 8 (1.8%), interdigital necrobacillosis 2 (0.5%), interdigital hyperplasia 2 (0.5%), and digital dermatitis 1 (0.2%). There was no means of early lameness diagnosis in 94.7% of farms. Lameness was found to be an important disease in dairy cows at Hawassa town. Prevention and early diagnosis leading to prompt treatment of lameness in cows should be part of dairy farm management practice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0c0dd2a4bbbc4b2589918cdf09892798 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2042-0048 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Medicine International |
| spelling | doaj-art-0c0dd2a4bbbc4b2589918cdf098927982025-02-03T05:55:28ZengWileyVeterinary Medicine International2042-00482024-01-01202410.1155/2024/2732333Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, EthiopiaAbebe Tesfaye Gessese0Abayineh Ayele1Mebrie Zemene Kinde2Asefa Asmare3College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal SciencesCollege of Veterinary Medicine and Animal SciencesCollege of Veterinary Medicine and Animal SciencesFaculty of Veterinary MedicineLameness is one of the greatest constraints on the productivity, health, and welfare of dairy cattle. A cross-sectional study was carried out from March 2021 to September 2021 in Hawassa town with the aim of assessing the prevalence and identifying the associated risk factors of lameness in dairy farms. The study was conducted on 440 animals belonging to 19 randomly selected intensive dairy farms. Data regarding lameness and its possible risk factors were collected both at animal and farm level using a questionnaire. The results showed that the overall prevalence of lameness was 10.2% (n = 45/440). The association of lameness prevalence with various risk factors including milking status, exercise, age, parity, milk yield, and lactation stage was statistically tested using logistic regression model. There was a significant variation in the prevalence of lameness (P<0.05) between cattle with different milking status, age, parity, milk yield, and stage of lactation by the univariable analysis result. According to the multivariable analysis, only milk yield and lactation stage were statistically associated with the occurrence of lameness. Milking animals (8%) had higher prevalence of lameness than nonmilking (2.2%). The occurrence of lameness increased with milk yield. The highest prevalence of lameness was recorded in the early stage of lactation. Lameness was more frequent in hind limbs (6.6%) than in forelimbs (3.6%). The main causes of lameness observed in this study were both claw overgrowth 10 (2.3%), unequal claw size 10 (2.3%), solar ulcer 8 (1.8%), interdigital necrobacillosis 2 (0.5%), interdigital hyperplasia 2 (0.5%), and digital dermatitis 1 (0.2%). There was no means of early lameness diagnosis in 94.7% of farms. Lameness was found to be an important disease in dairy cows at Hawassa town. Prevention and early diagnosis leading to prompt treatment of lameness in cows should be part of dairy farm management practice.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2732333 |
| spellingShingle | Abebe Tesfaye Gessese Abayineh Ayele Mebrie Zemene Kinde Asefa Asmare Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia Veterinary Medicine International |
| title | Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Prevalence of Lameness in Dairy Cows and Associated Risk Factors at Hawassa Town Dairy Farms, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | prevalence of lameness in dairy cows and associated risk factors at hawassa town dairy farms ethiopia |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/2732333 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abebetesfayegessese prevalenceoflamenessindairycowsandassociatedriskfactorsathawassatowndairyfarmsethiopia AT abayinehayele prevalenceoflamenessindairycowsandassociatedriskfactorsathawassatowndairyfarmsethiopia AT mebriezemenekinde prevalenceoflamenessindairycowsandassociatedriskfactorsathawassatowndairyfarmsethiopia AT asefaasmare prevalenceoflamenessindairycowsandassociatedriskfactorsathawassatowndairyfarmsethiopia |