The Development of a Hoof Conformation Assessment for Use in Dairy Goats

摘要

In comparison to other species, there are little data evaluating hoof conformation in dairy goats. As poor conformation is associated with an increased risk of hoof lesions and lameness, it is important to be able to accurately and reliably assess hoof conformation. This study developed a reliable hoof conformation assessment for use in dairy goats using hoof photographs. The assessment included both subjective scores and objective measures. High levels of accuracy were achieved when comparing two aspects of the subjective scores against two objective measures. This suggests the subjective scores may be a suitable alternative to the more time-consuming objective measures.