Document type : scientific article published in the Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences
Authors: G Urbonavicius, R Antanaitis, V Zilaitis, S Tusas, L Kajokiene, J Zymantiene , U Spancerniene, A Gavelis, V Juskiene, V Juozaitienė
Les performances de production et de traite des vaches laitières ont été enregistrées de 50 à 100 jours de lactation et 1 jour après le premier œstrus. La boiterie était principalement localisée sur les membres postérieurs (79,60 %) et moins fréquemment sur les membres antérieurs (20,40 % ; p<0,001). De plus, la boiterie avait tendance à diminuer la production de lait (4,24 % ; p<0,05) et à augmenter la différence de rendement laitier entre les quartiers avant et arrière de la mamelle (1,20 % ; p<0,05). La fréquence de la traite (5,19 %) était plus faible chez les vaches boiteuses (p<0,05). Les vaches boiteuses pendant l’œstrus ont montré une diminution plus prononcée de la production de lait et de la fréquence de traite (p<0,05), ainsi que des valeurs plus élevées de concentration de progestérone dans le lait (1,55-1,76 fois ; p<0,001), et un nombre croissant d’inséminations (11,69% ; p<0,05) a été observé. Les résultats ont souligné que l’analyse des données des programmes de STA peut être un outil efficace pour réduire les facteurs de risque liés à la gestion efficace des performances de reproduction et de la santé des pieds des vaches laitières.
Preview : There is an increased interest in using automatic milking systems (AMS) to indirectly assess the welfare of dairy cows, but knowledge on analyzing the association between lameness, milk yield characteristics, and reproductive performance in cows is still insufficient. The main aims of this study were to evaluate the influence of lameness on several AMS variables and reproductive performance indicators during the early stage of lactation and estrus in Lithuanian Black and White dairy cows, as well as to assess the associations between lameness, productivity and reproductive efficiency. A total of 418 milking cows (50.3±1.2 d postpartum) without any apparent reproductive disorder were monitored for hoof health status. Cows were assigned to two groups on the basis of visual locomotion scoring: "non-lame"cows (group 1; 74.20%) and cows presenting "lameness" (lame cows) (group 2; 25.80%).
Productive and milking performances of dairy cows were recorded from 50 to 100 days in milk (DIM) and 1 day after the first estrus. The lameness was predominantly localized on the hind feet (79.60%) and less frequently – on the front feet (20.40%; p<0.001). Furthermore, the lameness had a tendency to decrease milk production (4.24%; p<0.05) and increase the difference in milk yield between rear and front quarters of the udder (1.20%; p<0.05). The frequency of milking (5.19%) was lower in lame cows (p<0.05). The lame cows during estrus showed a more pronounced decrement in milk yield and milking frequency (p<0.05), and also higher milk progesterone concentration values (1.55-1.76 time’s; p<0.001), and an increasing number of inseminations (11.69%; p<0.05) were observed. The results highlighted that analysis of data from AMS programs can be a successful tool for reducing risk factors related to the effective management of reproductive performance and hoof health of dairy cows.
