title: Short communication: Changes in gait symmetry in healthy and lame dairy cows based on 3-dimensional ground reaction force curves following claw trimming.
abstract: Lameness is a frequent health problem in dairy cows. This preliminary study aimed to detect gait differences between healthy and lame walking cows using 3-dimensional force plates. We examined left-right leg symmetry changes of healthy and lame Holstein dairy cows following claw trimming. Gait scoring (GS) was performed on d -5, 0, 1, and 7 relative to claw trimming. Before the experiment, 5 cows walked normally (initial GS=1) and 4 cows limped moderately on a hind leg (initial GS=3). Gait was measured on d -2, -1, 0, 1, and 7 relative to trimming by obtaining ground reaction forces as cows walked repeatedly across 2 parallel 3-dimensional force plates. From the ground reaction forces, stance phase data were derived using computerized procedures. Left-right leg symmetries of entire curves in the 3 force directions were calculated. Effects of lameness and trimming were analyzed in a mixed model, using a low lameness threshold (GS>1). One week after claw trimming, only one cow was mildly lame. In addition, the symmetries of all 3 dimensions were significantly improved shortly after trimming. Importantly, lameness significantly worsened vertical symmetry. Lame cows walked significantly more slowly than healthy cows. In conclusion, all force symmetries seemed capable of detecting gait responses to claw trimming. Although our results are based on a small number of animals, vertical leg symmetry was affected by lameness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark. Electronic address: vivi.thorup@agroparistech.fr.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Thorup
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
authors.affiliation: AgroTech A/S, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Skjøth
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Bennedsgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ingvartsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000601:surgery*; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: gait analysis; lameness