Abstract #M222
Section: Reproduction (posters)
Session: Reproduction I
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Monday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Exhibit Hall A
Session: Reproduction I
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Monday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Exhibit Hall A
# M222
Association between hoof lesions and fertility of dairy cows.
Bobwealth O. Omontese*1, Roger Bellet-Elias1, Almudena Molinero1, Giovana D. Catandi1, Renan Casagrande1, Zelmar Rodriguez1, Rafael S. Bisinotto2, Gerard Cramer1, 1Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 2Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Key Words: lameness, foot trim, pregnancy
Association between hoof lesions and fertility of dairy cows.
Bobwealth O. Omontese*1, Roger Bellet-Elias1, Almudena Molinero1, Giovana D. Catandi1, Renan Casagrande1, Zelmar Rodriguez1, Rafael S. Bisinotto2, Gerard Cramer1, 1Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 2Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Objectives were to evaluate associations between hoof lesions (HL), estrous cyclicity, and fertility in dairy cows. Jerseys were enrolled at 20 ± 3 DIM (d20). At d20, cows were evaluated for body condition score (BCS) and presence of claw horn HL (CLW; sole ulcer, toe ulcer, white line disease), sole hemorrhage (SH), infectious HL (INF; digital dermatitis, foot rot), and injury (INJ). Lesion status at d 20 was categorized into (1) no HL (n = 1,197) or with HL (n = 442) and (2) HL category as CLW (n = 113), SH (n = 280), INF (n = 36), and INJ (n = 13). Ovaries were scanned at 27 and 41 ± 3 DIM and cows with corpus luteum >20 mm were considered cyclic. Estrus was synchronized with PGF2α given 14 d apart starting at 27 ± 3 DIM. Cows not inseminated in estrus after 3 PGF2α were subjected to a 5-d Cosynch protocol. Cows were reinseminated in estrus or via timed AI after a non-pregnancy diagnosis. Pregnancy was diagnosed 32 and 60 ± 3 d after AI. At 120 ± 3 DIM (d120), cows were reevaluated for HL and BCS. To assess the relationship between HL development and fertility, cows were classified as healthy (no HL at d20 and d120; n = 308), cured HL (any HL at d20 and no HL at d120; n = 72), new HL (no HL at d20 and any HL at d120; n = 597), or chronic HL (any HL at d20 and d120; n = 226). Binary variables were analyzed by logistic regression (results presented as odds ratio, 95% CI) and time to pregnancy was analyzed using Cox’s proportional hazard regression (results presented as hazard ratio, 95% CI). Open cows were censored at 150 DIM. Cows with SH (0.60, 0.45–0.81), CLW (0.42, 0.26–0.66), INF (0.32, 0.14–0.70), and INJ (0.04–1.07) at d20 were less likely (P ≤ 0.06) to be cyclic compared with healthy cows. Cows with HL at d20 had smaller (P < 0.01) hazard of pregnancy (0.83, 0.73–0.96) and more days open (91 vs. 77) compared with healthy cows. Cows with SH had smaller (P = 0.04) pregnancy hazard compared with those without HL (0.84, 0.71–0.99). Compared with healthy animals, cows with cured HL tended to have a greater (P = 0.09) pregnancy hazard (1.30, 0.96–1.76). In conclusion, HL at d20, but not new HL, were associated with decreased odds of cyclicity and reduced pregnancy hazard in cows.
Key Words: lameness, foot trim, pregnancy
