Lameness and Welfare of Cattle: Extension Program Activities and Accomplishments

Lameness of dairy and beef cattle continues to be an extension program priority. Over the previous 12 month period, we conducted 10 training programs (under the heading of the ISU Master Hoof Care Program) on foot care and claw trimming to trimmers and dairy farm managers throughout the United States. Most of these programs are conducted in Spanish to address the needs of the dairy industry’s multi-cultural workforce. Similar programs were provided to veterinary students at Iowa State University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Florida. These programs consist of approximately a half day of classroom and 1 to 2 days of claw trimming on cadavers and live animals. Beyond these, multiple on-farm visits were conducted to review lameness problems and/or foot care programs in Iowa and elsewhere in the US. Lameness of cattle has also been the subject of presentations delivered at Iowa Dairy Days and multiple other conferences in Iowa and beyond

Lameness and Welfare of Dairy Cattle

A prominent veterinary researcher from Cornell University estimates that the most costly diseases of dairy cattle are displacement of the abomasum and lameness resulting in the $489 and$478 per case, respectively. However, when economic losses are computed on a herd basis, none rival lameness as the most costly disease of dairy cattle. Reasons for this are largely related to its insidious nature and the relatively high incidence of this disease compared to abomasal displacement, mastitis and other common health disorders. Although variable, it is not uncommon to find herds with annual incidence rates of 30% or higher. Lameness disorders are often neglected because early symptoms are subtle causing a failure of owners to observe or recognize them in timely manner. Detection is also complicated by the cow’s natural instinct to disguise her discomfort which results in only mild alterations of gait and posture. Ultimately, this leads to treatment delays and the development of more serious conditions that increase animal suffering and reduce welfare. Despite its impact on performance, profit and animal well-being, attention to this health problem by the dairy industry is lacking. For example, dairy record-keeping systems are designed to capture multiple bits of information on most health disorders in dairy cattle with exception of lameness events. Data that is recorded is usually provided by trimmers, but much of it cannot be conveniently transferred to the farm’s record-keeping system. Furthermore, terms used by trimmers and data captured is not consistent or easily interpreted since there is no standard nomenclature used amongst trimmers. As a consequence, there is little or no data available for regular evaluation of foot care information on farms by veterinarians or others. Another issue of growing concern for the Iowa dairy industry is that promulgated by activist organizations charging that the welfare of animals in production agriculture is compromised for the benefit of profit. These organizations are well organized and support their arguments with video footage taken by persons working undercover in packing plants, livestock markets and on farms. For the most radical of these organizations the primary objective is to end animal agriculture. Unless the dairy industry can develop an effective pro-active approach to assuring consumers of its commitment to humane care of its animals, it faces a greater likelihood of increased regulation by outside agencies

Veterinary Extension Program Activities and Accomplishments:Lameness and Welfare of Cattle

In the dairy industry, prevalence of lameness averages somewhere between 20-25% with much higher rates reported in problem herds. Direct effects of lameness are responsible for approximately 15% of cows involuntarily culled from dairy herds. However, when the indirect effects of lameness on milk yield and reproductive performance are considered, involuntary losses associated with impaired locomotion are estimated to increase by an additional 50%. Lameness is therefore recognized as the single most costly clinical disease of dairy cattle (Guard, 2009). The Master Hoof Care Program (now in its 17th year) was designed to address lameness problems on dairies by assuring that foot care technicians are properly trained and equipped to handle common lameness disorders. Over the previous 12 month period, we have conducted multiple training programs (under the heading of the ISU Master Hoof Care Program) on foot care and claw trimming to trimmers and dairy farm managers throughout the United States. The format of these programs consists of approximately a half day of classroom and 1 to 2 days of claw trimming on cadavers and live animals. All training programs are conducted in both English and Spanish and intended to address the needs of the dairy industry’s multicultural workforce. Since large dairies with multiple farm units may have as many as 5 to 10 people serving the foot care needs of the enterprise, on-farm training of foot care technicians may be conducted at the farm of origin with lameness disorders and equipment unique to their workers. Demand for these programs in Iowa has been limited in part because most trimming and foot care is conducted by veterinarians and trimmers. While it is anticipated that this may change as herds get larger, for now the greater need and opportunity lies with the feedyard industry as conditions such as digital dermatitis are becoming major causes of lameness

Dark spot, Spiral waves and the SW Sex behaviour: it is all about UX Ursae Majoris

We present an analysis of time-resolved, medium resolution optical spectroscopic observations of UX UMa in the blue (3920-5250 A) and red (6100-7200 A) wavelength ranges, that were obtained in April 1999 and March 2008 respectively. The observed characteristics of our spectra indicate that UX UMa has been in different states during those observations. The blue spectra are very complex. They are dominated by strong and broad single-peaked emission lines of hydrogen. The high-excitation lines of HeII 4686 and the Bowen blend are quite strong as well. All the lines consist of a mixture of absorption and emission components. Using Doppler tomography we have identified four distinct components of the system: the accretion disc, the secondary star, the bright spot from the gas stream/disc impact region, and the unique compact area of absorption in the accretion disc seen as a dark spot in the lower-left quadrant of the tomograms. In the red wavelength range, both the hydrogen (H_alpha) and neutral helium (HeI 6678 and HeI 7065) lines were observed in emission and both exhibited double-peaked profiles. Doppler tomography of these lines reveals spiral structure in the accretion disc, but in contrast to the blue wavelength range, there is no evidence for either the dark spot or the gas stream/disc impact region emission, while the emission from the secondary star is weak. During the observations in 1999, UX UMa showed many of the defining properties of the SW Sex stars. However, all these features almost completely disappeared in 2008. We have also estimated the radial velocity semi-amplitudes K_1 and K_2 and evaluated the system parameters of UX UMa. These estimates are inconsistent with previous values derived by means of analysis of WD eclipse features in the light curve in the different wavelength ranges.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for publication by MNRA

Survey of Veterinarians and Hoof Trimmers on Methods Applied to Treat Claw Lesions in Dairy Cattle

A survey inquiring about treatment approaches for claw horn lesion in dairy cattle was available to veterinarians and hoof trimmers who were members of either the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) or the Hoof Trimmers Association (HTA) during the winter of 2013. The study showed differences among AABP and HTA members with regards to procedural training and technique as well as treatment approach. No differences were noted when evaluating the use of topical medications along with bandaging materials, but details regarding the types of topical medications used did reveal discrepancies among the AABP and HTA members

A comparison of the in vitro and in planta responses of Phytophthora cinnamomi isolates to phosphite

Research in plant pathology often relies on testing interactions between a fungicide and a pathogen in vitro and extrapolating from these results what may happen in planta. Likewise, results from glasshouse experiments are used to estimate what will happen if the fungicide is applied in the field. However, it is difficult to obtain conditions in vitro and in the glasshouse which reflect the conditions where the fungicide may eventually be used, in the field. The aim of this paper is to compare results of the effect of phosphite on P. cinnamomi isolates in vitro and in planta

Segregation by thermal diffusion in granular shear flows

Segregation by thermal diffusion of an intruder immersed in a sheared granular gas is analyzed from the (inelastic) Boltzmann equation. Segregation is induced by the presence of a temperature gradient orthogonal to the shear flow plane and parallel to gravity. We show that, like in analogous systems without shear, the segregation criterion yields a transition between upwards segregation and downwards segregation. The form of the phase diagrams is illustrated in detail showing that they depend sensitively on the value of gravity relative to the thermal gradient. Two specific situations are considered: i) absence of gravity, and ii) homogeneous temperature. We find that both mechanisms (upwards and downwards segregation) are stronger and more clearly separated when compared with segregation criteria in systems without shear.Comment: 8 figures. To appear in J. Stat. Mec

Comparing Effects of Insecticides on Two Green Lacewings Species, Chrysoperla johnsoni and Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

This study compared lethal and sublethal effects of five insecticides, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, novaluron, and lambda-cyhalothrin, on adult and second instars of two green lacewing species, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) and Chrysoperla johnsoni Henry, Wells and Pupedis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in the laboratory. Formulated pesticides were tested using concentrations equivalent to the high label rate dissolved in 378.5 liters of water. Novaluron and lambda-cyhalothrin were toxic to larvae and no treated larvae survived to the adult stage. Larva to adult survival was reduced in chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and spinetoram treatments. Larva to adult developmental time and sex ratio were not different among the treatments within a species. Chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, and lambda-cyhalothrin treatments were highly toxic to adults of both species. C. johnsoni females had lower fecundity than C. carnea females in the control. Fecundity of females was similar in the control and novaluron treatment within each species. However, fertility and egg viability were negatively impacted for both species when females were treated with novaluron. C. carnea females had higher fertility and egg viability than C. johnsoni females in the control. Adults of both species had similar longevity in the control and novaluron treatment and adult longevity was not gender specific. All insecticides tested were toxic to C. johnsoni and C. carnea either at the immature or adult stage or both. Results of this study demonstrate a similarity between C. johnsoni and C. carnea for pesticide toxicity irrespective of their varied geographical distributions

Laboratory Bioassays to Estimate the Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Various Insecticides and Fungicides on Deraeocoris brevis (Hemiptera: Miridae)

This laboratory bioassay focused on lethal and sublethal effects of five insecticides (chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, spinetoram, novaluron, and lambda-cyhalothrin) and two fungicide treatments (sulfur and a mixture of copper hydroxide and mancozeb) on the predatory mired bug, Deraeocoris brevis (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Miridae) using second instars and adult males and females. Formulated pesticides were tested using concentrations that were equivalent to the high label rate (1x) (high rate) and 1/10th of that amount (0.1x) (low rate) dissolved in 378.5 liters of water. Lambda-cyhalothrin was highly toxic to D. brevis nymphs and adults at both rates, whereas both rates of novaluron were highly toxic to nymphs. Cyantraniliprole, chlorantraniliprole, and novaluron were less toxic to adults, and chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram were less toxic to nymphs. Both rates of spinetoram caused significant mortality to adults. Fecundity of adult females was affected negatively by the high rates of either novaluron or spinetoram, whereas the fertility was affected only by the high rate of novaluron. The high rate of spinetoram reduced survival of nymphs. Adults treated with spinetoram had reduced longevity. Cyantraniliprole caused some mortality to nymphs and affected their survival. Both rates of sulfur were toxic to nymphs and affected emergence to adults. The mixture of copper hydroxide and mancozeb was less toxic to D. brevis. Neither adult longevity nor sex ratio was affected by the fungicides. The r values for D. brevis treated with lambda-cyhalothrin, novaluron, spinetoram, and sulfur were low, indicating that these products may have negative impact on population growth