Investigating the effectiveness of 1 hour daily outdoor access on the gait and hoof health of non-clinically lame cows housed in a movement-restricted environment

Objectives

The objective of the study was to evaluate how regular access to an outdoor exercise yard affects gait and hoof health of non-lame lactating Holstein cows housed in tie-stalls – a movement- restricted environment. We hypothesized that provision of outdoor access for movement- restricted cows will result in higher step activity and improvements in gait and movement ability. Furthermore, we hypothesized that outdoor access will not lead to any detrimental effects on hoof health – measured based on prevalence and/or severity of claw lesions and hoof surface temperatures.

Materials and methods

Thirty Holstein cows (average gait score: 2.17, Min: 1, Max: 3.5), blocked by parity and DIM (n=6/block), were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: Exercise (1 h/d, 5d/wk of outdoor access for five weeks) and Non-Exercise (no outdoor access). Step activity was continuously recorded during the trial using pedometers. Six gait attributes and overall gait were assessed via visual gait assessment using a 5-point scale at three data collection periods: before the study started (Pre-trial), study end (Post-trial), and 8 weeks post-trial (Follow-up). Hoof health was evaluated by claw lesion assessment and hoof surface thermography. Number, location and severity of claw lesions were recorded during hoof trimming at Pre-trial and Follow-up. Infrared thermal images were taken from the dorsal view of coronary band (CB) of all hooves at week 1 and 5 of the trial and four temperature variables were extracted from the CB area. Step activity, overall gait, gait attributes, severity of claw lesions and hoof thermography data were analysed using linear mixed effect models (α < 0.05). Claw lesion was treated as a binary variable and was analyzed using a mixed effect logistic regression model (α < 0.05). [...]