Clinical characteristics of lameness and potential risk factors in intensive and semi-intensive dairy sheep flocks in Greece


A. I. GELASAKIS (Α.Ι. ΓΕΛΑΣΑΚΗΣ)
G. OIKONOMOU (Γ. ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟΥ)
R. C. BICALHO
G. E. VALERGAKIS (Γ.Ε. ΒΑΛΕΡΓΑΚΗΣ)
G. S. FTHENAKIS (Γ.Χ. ΦΘΕΝΑΚΗΣ)
G. ARSENOS (Γ. ΑΡΣΕΝΟΣ)
Abstract

Objectives of the study were to present descriptive epidemiological characteristics of lameness in intensively and semi-intensively reared flocks of Chios-breed dairy sheep in Greece, as well as to identify potential factors that may affect development, severity and duration of the disorder. In total, 1618 ewes in nine flocks were used for assessment of locomotion score and detailed clinical examination, which were performed fortnightly throughout a milking period. Subsequently, two logistic regression models were employed to assess impact of various variables on occurrence and severity of lameness. Mean lameness incidence in the nine flocks under surveillance during the milking period was 6.8% (110 cases in 1618 ewes); between flocks range of the incidence was 0.4%-22.0%. In 48% of the cases, lameness was considered to  be severe. Foot-rot was found to be the commonest lameness-causing disorder, accounting for 66% of all cases. During the investigation, incidence of lameness in relation to the causing factor was 4.5% for foot-rot, 1% for white line abscesses, 1% for white line disease, <0.5% for pedal joint abscesses and <0.5% for hoof injuries. Farm size, stocking density, parity of the ewes and lambing season were identified as significant risk factors for dairy sheep lameness occurrence. Finally, stocking density was also found to affect lameness severity.

Article Details
  • Rubrik
  • Research Articles
Downloads
Keine Nutzungsdaten vorhanden.
Literaturhinweise
Abbott KA, Lewis CJ (2005) Current approaches to the management of ovine footrot. Vet J 169:28-41.
Bicalho RC, Machado VS, Caixeta LS (2009) Lameness in dairy cattle: A debilitating disease or a disease of debilitated cattle? A crosssectional study of lameness prevalence and thickness of the digital cushion. J Dairy Sci 92:3175-3184.
Clements ACA, Mellor DJ, Fitzpatrick JL (2002) Reporting of sheep lameness conditions to veterinarians in the Scottish Borders. Vet Rec 150:815-817.
Conington J, Nicoll L, Mitchell S, Bünger L (2010) Characterization of white line degeneration in sheep and evidence for genetic influences on its occurrence. Vet Res Comm 34:481-489.
Cook NB (2003) Prevalence of lameness among dairy cattle in Wisconsin as a function of housing type and stall surface. J Am Vet Med Assoc 223:1324-1328.
Espejo LA, Endres MI (2007) Herd-level risk factors for lameness in high-producing holstein cows housed in freestall barns. J Dairy Sci 90:306-314.
Espejo LA, Endres MI, Salfer JA (2006). Prevalence of lameness in high-producing holstein cows housed in freestall barns in Minnesota. J Dairy Sci 89:3052-3058.
Eze CA (2002) Lameness and reproductive performance in small ruminants in Nsukka Area of the Enugu State, Nigeria. Small Rumin Res 44:263-267.
Fthenakis GC, Arsenos G, Brozos C, Fragkou IA, Giadinis ND, Giannenas I, Mavrogianni VS, Papadopoulos E, Valasi I (2012) Health management of ewes during pregnancy. Anim Reprod Sci 130:198-212.
Gelasakis AI, Arsenos G, Hickford J, Zhou H, Psifidi A, Valergakis GE, Banos G (2013) Polymorphism of the MHC-DQA2 gene in the Chios dairy sheep population and its association with footrot. Liv Sci 153:56-59.
Gelasakis AI, Arsenos G, Valergakis GE, Fortomaris P, Banos G (2008) Prevalence of lameness in commercial dairy flocks of Chios sheep in Greece. Proceedings of the BSAS annual conference (Scarborough, UK), p. 101.
Gelasakis AI, Arsenos G, Valergakis GE, Fortomaris P, Banos G (2010a) Effect of lameness on milk production in a flock of dairy sheep. Vet Rec 167:533-534.
Gelasakis, AI, Valergakis GE, Arsenos G, Banos G (2012) Description and typology of intensive Chios dairy sheep farms in Greece. J Dairy Sci 95:3070-3079.
Gelasakis AI, Valergakis GE, Fortomaris P, Arsenos G (2010b) Farm conditions and production methods in Chios sheep flocks. J Hell Vet Med Soc 61:111-119.
Graham NPH, Egerton JR (1968) Pathogenesis of ovine foot-rot: the role of some environmental factors. Aust Vet J 44:235-240.
Green LE, George TRN (2008) Assessment of current knowledge of footrot in sheep with particular reference to Dichelobacter nodosus and implications for elimination or control strategies for sheep in Great Britain. Vet J 175:173-178.
Hodgkinson O (2010) The importance of feet examination in sheep health management. Small Rumin Res 92:67-71.
Kaler J, Green LE (2008) Recognition of lameness and decisions to catch for inspection among sheep farmers and specialists in GB. BMC Vet Res 4:41-49.
Lewis CJ (2006) Footrot and interdigital dermatitis in sheep. Vet Rec 158:71-72.
Ley SJ, Waterman AE, Livingston A, Parkinson TJ (1994) Effects of chronic pain associated with lameness on plasma cortisol concentrations in sheep: a field study. Res Vet Sci 57:332-335.
Marshall DJ, Walker RI, Cullis BR, Luff MF (1991) The effect of footrot on body weight and wool growth of sheep. Aust Vet J 68:45-49.
Petridis IG, Mavrogianni VS, Gougoulis DA, Amiridis GS, Brozos C, Fthenakis GC (2012) Effects of drying-off procedure of ewes’ udder, with intramammary antibiotic administration, in subsequent mammary infection and development of mastitis. J Hell Vet Med Soc 63:273-282.
Petridis IG, Mavrogianni VS, Fragkou IA, Gougoulis DA, Tzora A, Fotou K, Skoufos I, Amiridis GS, Brozos C, Fthenakis GC (2013) Effects of drying-off procedure of ewes’ udder in subsequent mammary infection and development of mastitis. Small Rumin Res 110:128-132.
Sargison N (2008) Sheep Flock Health - A Planned Approach. Blackwell, Oxford.
Steinley D (2006) K-means clustering: a half-century synthesis. Br J Math Stat Psych 59:1-34.
Stewart DJ, Clark BL, Jarrett RG (1984). Difference between strains of Bacteroides nodosus in their effects on the severity of footrot, body weight and wool growth in Merino sheep. Aust Vet J 61:348-352.
Wassink GJ, George TR, Kaler J, Green LE (2010) Footrot and interdigital dermatitis in sheep: farmer satisfaction with current management, their ideal management and sources used to adopt new strategies. Prev Vet Med 96:65-73.
Wassink GJ, Grogono-Thomas R, Moore LJ, Green LE (2004) Risk factors associated with the prevalence of interdigital dermatitis in sheep from 1999 to 2000. Vet Rec 154:551-555.
Winter AC (2004) Lameness in Sheep. Crowood Press, Marlborough.
Winter AC (2009) Footrot control and eradication (elimination) strategies. Small Rumin Res 85:90-93.
Am häufigsten gelesenen Artikel dieser/dieses Autor/in