Prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for lameness in dairy cattle in small-scale farms in Kikuyu Division, Kenya

• Published in: Preventive veterinary medicine Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 101 - 115
• Main Authors: Gitau, T., McDermott, J.J., Mbiuki, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.1996
• Subjects: ALOJAMIENTO DE ANIMALES; ANIMAL HOUSING; BOVIN LAITIER; DAIRY CATTLE; DANGER POUR LA SANTE; EXPLOTACION EN PEQUENA ESCALA; Foot lesions; GANADO DE LECHE; HEALTH HAZARDS; Kenya; Lameness; LESION; LESIONES; LESIONS; LOGEMENT DES ANIMAUX; MORBIDITE; MORBIDITY; MORBOSIDAD; MOVEMENT DISORDERS; PELIGRO PARA LA SALUD; PETITE EXPLOITATION AGRICOLE; SMALL FARMS; Small-scale farms; TRASTORNOS DE LA LOCOMOCION; TROUBLE LOCOMOTEUR; Lameness; Kenya; Foot lesions; Small-scale farms; Dairy cattle
• ISSN: 0167-5877; 1873-1716
• DOI: 10.1016/0167-5877(96)01034-3

A prospective study was conducted to investigate the importance of lameness in dairy cattle on small-scale farms in Kenya. The gait and locomotor system of all cattle on randomly selected farms were examined during two visits, 3 months apart. Data on housing, management and signalment of cattle were obtained through an interview using a structured questionnaire. Seventy-eight farms, with a total of 216 cattle, participated in the study. The prevalence of clinical lameness on the initial farm visit was 11.7% ( 25 216 ), most of which was due to foot lesions ( 22 25 ). Foot lesions were highly prevalent (32.9%; 71 216 ). The prevalences of various foot lesions were: heel erosion 15%, under-running of the bearing surface 14.5%, loss of solar concavity 9.3%, interdigital cleft lesions 8.3% and hoof overgrowth 6.9%. The incidence of clinical lameness was 1.46% per cow-month (eight cases in 548 cow-months). Of foot lesions, interdigital cleft lesions (wounds, necrobacillosis, fibromas and dermatitis) had the highest incidence (4.54%) followed by heel erosion (4.43%) and loss of solar concavity (flat soles, 1.63%). Interdigital lesions (wounds and necrobacillosis) comprised 51.5% of clinical lameness cases while hoof overgrowth comprised 15.2%. Risk factors for the prevalence of lameness were modelled. A moderate proportion of the variability of lameness occurrence was due to farm (11.5%). The most important farm characteristic associated with an increased prevalence of lameness and foot lesions was confined housing. The odds of lameness for cattle in zero-grazing farms were 2.9 times higher than those for cattle grazed on pasture. Two individual-animal factors increased the risk of lameness: the Jersey breed ( OR = 5.2 versus local and cross breeds) and the early and late lactation periods ( OR = 4.1 for early lactation and 5.5 for late lactation versus non-lactating).