Body and claw measurements and pressure distribution under the claws in heifers of different cattle breeds

摘要

In 56 heifers of the three breeds German Holstein (GH), German Brown (GB) und German Red (GR) the body weight and height were determined at the age of 350 to 550 days in intervals of 6 to 8 weeks. At the right front limb and the left hind limb the claw measurements dorsal wall length, diagonal length, heel length and height, the angle of the dorsal wall and the hardness of the claw were taken. Furthermore, the punctual pressure under the medial and the lateral claw of the right front limb and the left hind limb were determined using an electronic measuring system. The GH heifers weighing 387.3 kg on an average and having a mean height of 132.3 cm at the sacral bone in the course of the present study were the heaviest and tallest breed at the age of 12 to 18 months. GB had a weight of 366.2 kg and 106.2 cm height at the sacral bone. The GR were the smallest breed (126.0 cm) and weighed 337.7 kg. The heel at the front limb was on the average 1 cm shorter than at the hind limb and it was 0.5 cm lower. The angle of the dorsal border was 4-5 degrees higher at the hind limb. The GR had the flattest claws. The animals showed a larger average weight load on the medial claws than on the lateral claws especially of the front limbs. The highest pressures per cm2 were found underneath the rear part of the medial claw in all breeds. At the front limb, the GB showed significantly higher average pressures per cm2 under the front sectors of the claws than GH and GR, while the other values did not differ significantly between the breeds. The GH tended to have lower average pressures per cm2 underneath the claws of the hind limb, but this was only significant at the front medial sector of the claw.