Associating cow characteristics with mobility scores in pasture-based dairy cows

摘要

The quality of dairy cow mobility can have significantwelfare, economic, and environmental consequencesthat have yet to be extensively quantified for pasturebasedsystems. The objective of this study was tocharacterize mobility quality by examining associationsbetween specific mobility scores, claw disorders (boththe type and severity), body condition score (BCS), andcow parity. Data were collected for 6,927 cows from 52pasture-based dairy herds, including mobility score (0= optimal mobility; 1, 2, or 3 = increasing severities ofsuboptimal mobility), claw disorder type and severity,BCS, and cow parity. Multinomial logistic regressionwas used for analysis. The outcome variable was mobilityscore, and the predictor variables were BCS, typeand severity of claw disorders, and cow parity. Threemodels were run, each with 1 reference category (mobilityscore 0, 1, or 2). Each model also included clawdisorders (overgrown claw, sole hemorrhage, white linedisease, sole ulcer, and digital dermatitis), BCS, andcow parity as predictor variables. The presence of mosttypes of claw disorders had odds ratios >1, indicatingan increased likelihood of a cow having suboptimalmobility. Low BCS (BCS <3.00) was associated withan increased risk of a cow having suboptimal mobility,and relatively higher parity was also associated withan increased risk of suboptimal mobility. These resultsconfirm an association between claw disorders, BCS,cow parity, and dairy cow mobility score. Therefore,mobility score should be routinely practiced to identifycows with slight deviations from the optimal mobilitypattern and to take preventive measures to keep theproblem from worsening.