Correlated changes in behavioral indicators of lameness in dairy cows following hoof trimming

Cow gait, walking speed, time spent lying down, and distribution of weight among legs when standing during the week before and up to 5 wk after hoof trimming were assessed in 48 lactating Holstein cows housed in freestall pens to examine how changes in gait score following hoof trimming were correlated with other behavioral changes. Gait responses to hoof trimming varied between cows, with the majority showing no change or an increase in gait score. Walking speed was reduced after hoof trimming, and this decrease was maintained during the following 4 wk. The change in walking speed following hoof trimming negatively correlated with the change in gait (r = −0.33). Before hoof trimming, lame cows showed a greater standard deviation of the weight applied to the rear legs (38.4 vs. 27.2; standard error of the difference = 4.6). After hoof trimming, lame cows showed a quadratic increase in the standard deviation of the weight applied to the rear legs and the rear leg weight ratio, whereas no time trend existed for nonlame cows. The change in gait following hoof trimming was negatively correlated with the change in leg weight ratio (r = −0.44). Before hoof trimming, lame cows spent more time lying down each day than nonlame cows (801.7 vs. 731.7 min/d; standard error of the difference = 29.7). Both lame and nonlame cows increased the time they spent each day lying down after hoof trimming, and daily lying time remained higher for up to 5 wk after hoof trimming. The change in time spent lying down after hoof trimming was correlated with the change in gait (r = 0.30) and the change in leg weight ratio (r = −0.47). Using automated methods of lameness detection shows promise as a way of continuously monitoring animals to detect changes in behavior associated with the onset of or recovery from lameness.