Prevalence of lameness among dairy cattle in Wisconsin as a function of housing type and stall surface.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of lameness as a function of season (summer vs winter), housing type (free stalls vs tie stalls), and stall surface (sand vs any other surface) among lactating dairy cows in Wisconsin.


METHODS
Epidemiologic survey.


METHODS
3,621 lactating dairy cows in 30 herds.


METHODS
Herds were visited once during the summer and once during the winter, and a locomotion score ranging from 1 (no gait abnormality) to 4 (severe lameness) was assigned to all lactating cows. Cows with a score of 3 or 4 were considered to be clinically lame.


RESULTS
Mean +/- SD herd lameness prevalence was 21.1 +/- 10.5% during the summer and 23.9 +/- 10.7% during the winter; these values were significantly different. During the winter, mean prevalence of lameness in free-stall herds with non-sand stall surfaces (33.7%) was significantly higher than prevalences in free-stall herds with sand stall surfaces (21.2%), tie-stall herds with non-sand stall surfaces (21.7%), and tie-stall herds with sand stall surfaces (12.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the prevalence of lameness among dairy cattle in Wisconsin is higher than previously thought and that lameness prevalence is associated with season, housing type, and stall surface.
Cook
Nigel B
NB
Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology