Abstract
Das B. R. (2002). Claw affections associated with lameness in Cattle. Ph.D
Thesis, Department of Surgery and Obstetrics, Bangladesh Agricultural
University, Mymensingh- 2202, Bangladesh
Prevalence of lameness associated with claw affections was investigated in
1200 cattle in Bangladesh. Of these animals 1000 cattle were reared under
conventional method and 200 cattle were maintained under mini dairy farms.
The incidence of lameness in the cattle under conventional system was 13.3%
while that under mini dairy farms was 8%. This difference was statistically
significant (P<0.01). Claw affections causing lameness in either category
mostly comprised of heel erosion, rupture of sole and sole ulcer. Under
conventional system, claw affections were found significantly (P<0.01) higher
in cattle kept in the soil yard as compared to concrete and brick soling yard.
The dairy cattle under conventional system showed an increased incidence
(5.8%) of lameness when compared with the beef cattle (P<0.01). The
incidence of lameness was significantly higher (P<0.01) in cattle fed green
grass and silage than other feeding regime. The female animals showed
significantly increased (P<0.01) occurrence of lameness than their male
counterparts. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and Serum
glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) were estimated in 20 cows in an
organised dairy farm in Bangladesh. The concentrations of SGOT showed a
significant (P<0.01) increase with the advancement of lactation in which
highest SGOT concentration was found in cows 10 weeks after parturition.
Increased concentrations of SGOT and SGPT were correlated with increased
incidence of lameness. Claw length, angle, width and diagonal of all claws of
both local (n =50) and Swiss (n =87) cattle were measured in the specimen
collected from slaughterhouses. Sole horn thickness (SHT) was measured at
three different places at the axial side. In Bangladeshi cattle, there was no
significant difference (P>0.01) in sole horn thickness between medial and
lateral claws at different points or between forelimbs and hindlimbs. In Swiss
cattle, on the other hand, there was a significant difference (P<0.01) of sole
horn thickness between two different points i.e. at the tip of the pedal bone
and at the middle of the pedal bone. In case of hindlimbs sole horn thickness
of left and right lateral claws varied significantly (P<0.01) at the insertion
point of the deep flexor tendon. Lameness in cattle due to claw affections was
fairly prevalent in Bangladesh. Most of these affections, however, did not
apparently influence normal locomotion.