Automated methods for detecting lameness and measuring analgesia in dairy cattle

The objective was to assess gait, automated measures of weight distribution among the legs, and daily activity as methods for detecting lameness in dairy cows and measuring pain mitigation by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Fifty-seven lactating cows (28 of which were lame) were injected twice with ketoprofen (3.0 mg/kg i.m.) or isotonic saline solution. Gait scores (numerical rating system, NRS), time spent lying down, frequency of steps, and weight distribution among legs when standing before, during, and after injections were measured to assess whether automated measures of activity can detect lameness and the effect of analgesic drugs in cows. Lame cows (NRS >3) shifted weight between contralateral legs more often (SD of the weight applied: 31.1 ± 2.1 vs. 24.5 ± 1.9 kg), had a greater asymmetry in the weight applied to the rear legs (leg weight ratio = 0.78 ± 0.02 vs. 0.87 ± 0.02), had longer lying bouts (94.0 ± 4.9 vs. 78.2 ± 5.8 min), and walked slower (1.28 ± 0.3 vs. 1.42 ± 0.3 m/s) than nonlame cows. Variability over time (SD) of the weight applied to the rear legs was the most accurate predictor of whether a cow was lame or not (area under the curve = 0.71). The SD of the weight applied to the rear legs decreased on the days when ketoprofen was given compared with the day before and after (18 and 12% decrease for lame and nonlame cows, respectively). Ketoprofen did not affect any other measure. Measures of weight shifting between legs while cows are standing have potential as an automated method of detecting lameness and analgesia.