Effect of long-term administration of a prolonged release formulation of bovine somatotropin (sometribove) on clinical lameness in dairy cows.
A matched case-control study design was used to assess the effects of long-term administration of a prolonged release formulation of bovine somatotropin (sometribove) on clinical lameness and limb lesions in dairy cows. Cows treated with sometribove for at least 2 lactations (cases) and nontreated dairy cows matched by herd, parity, age, and stage of lactation (controls) in 8 herds were evaluated for clinical lameness (as assessed by gait abnormality) and limb lesions by 2 observers, using a standardized scoring procedure at a single herd visit. Although a high proportion of the study cows were clinically lame (43%), an association was not detected between chronic administration of sometribove and prevalent lameness. Of 21 types of limb lesions identified, 2 were positively associated and 2 were negatively associated with long-term sometribove use. Superficial laceration of the tarsus (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1) and superficial swelling of the metatarsophalangeal joint (OR = 4.5) were positively associated with sometribove treatment, whereas femoral lesions (OR = 0.2) and superficial lacerations of the femur (OR = 0.14) were negatively associated with sometribove treatment.
Department of Clinical and Population Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul 55108, USA.
S J
SJ
Wells
A M
AM
Trent
R J
RJ
Collier
W J
WJ
Cole
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003612:Dairying; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010298:Parity; D013997:Time Factors
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D013006:Growth Hormone; C108583:sometribove