Testing the Efficacy of a Novel Lameness Detection System in Commercial Dairy Herds

Hoof and leg ailments resulting in lameness are the third most costly problem of dairy producers in the United States costing over $500 million annually with over 15% affected cows. In addition, lameness is a critical animal well-being issue. The inability to routinely and objectively diagnose lameness has hindered development of effective management practices. A novel device has recently been developed that allows detection of lameness at early stages, often before there are visual signs of impairment. This device is called Lameness Detection System (LDS) and it measures the vertical forces of individual limbs as animals walk freely across the system. The goal of this proposal is to determine the effectiveness of the LDS in detecting lame dairy cattle in commercial dairy environments. The reliability of the software and the hardware systems will be assessed and the effectiveness of the lameness models that are based on the data from a university farm will be evaluated. If the previously developed lameness models turn out to be ineffective in commercial settings, attempts will be made to explain the observed deficiencies. This will determine the scope of a phase II project, in which the effects of farm characteristics on lameness models will be studied. It is anticipated that the results of the study will demonstrate that the Lameness Detection System (LDS) can reliably detect the onset of lameness in commercial dairies.