MORPHOMETRIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOOF AFFECTIONS IN DAIRY CATTLE
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Date
2019-10-11
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, POOKODE WAYANAD
Abstract
The study was done to identify and classify common hoof affections causing
lameness, study the morphometric and radiographic changes of hoof affections,
management of various hoof conditions encountered and to suggest treatment
protocols in dairy cattle. Out of the 409 dairy cows examined, 114 cows with mild
to severe lameness, wounds and hair loss at pressure points of limbs and animals
with excessively overgrown hooves formed the subjects of study. Scoring systems
like lameness score, body condition score, leg score, hock wound score and hygiene
score were used to categorize the type of lameness. Selected cases suspected for
osseous lesions were radiographically evaluated. Lateral and dorso-palmar or
dorso-plantar views of the affected foot of selected animals under study was
evaluated. Soft tissue mass at inter digital space, alterations in bone density of third
phalanx, deviation of third phalanx were the major radiographic lesions diagnosed
followed by fracture of third phalanx, osteomyelitis, deviation of second phalanx,
periosteal reactions on phalanges and soft tissue swelling at coronary region.
Lesions diagnosed during hoof examination and corrective hoof trimming was
recorded and classified. During the hoof examination and hoof trimming of 456
hooves in 114 animals, 551 hoof affections were identified. Maximum incidence
of hoof lesions were observed in hindlimbs when compared to forelimbs. In
forelimbs, incidence of the lesions were more on medial claw when compared to
lateral claw and in hindlimbs, incidence of the lesions were more on lateral claw
when compared to medial claw. The most common hoof affections observed were
overgrown hoof, heel horn erosion, double sole, white line disease interdigital
hyperplasia, sole haemorrhage and sole ulcer followed by interdigital phlegmon,
digital dermatitis, horizontal horn fissure, corkscrew claw, interdigital dermatitis,
thin sole, bulb ulcer, axial horn fissure, vertical horn fissure, foreign body
penetrations in to sole, maggot wound, toe fracture, sole abscess, toe ulcer, toe
necrosis, coronary abscess and white line abscess. Treatment was done according
to the type of hoof affection. Therapeutic hoof trimming, hoof block application
on healthy contralateral claw and surgical removal of interdigital growths in
interdigital hyperplasia were the treatments followed in non-infectious hoof
affections. Tetracycline bandage, therapeutic hoof trimming and tetracycline foot
dip were the treatments followed in infectious hoof affections. Hoof bath with five
percent formalin and 2.5 percent copper sulphate was advised in all the cases. Out
of the 114 dairy cows in the present study, 96.49 percent animals showed uneventful
recovery, 1.75 percent received repeated treatment for recovery and 1.75 percent
showed poor recovery. Treatment adopted was found to be effective in both
infectious and non-infectious hoof disorders.