One of the greatest challenges for the next years is the sustainable development of the livestock sector. In this context, integrating animal health and welfare parameters through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach is key to reaching this goal. Among the mitigation strategies, one specific action is the implementation of targeted management protocols regarding the most important diseases detected in dairy farms, such as lameness. About 90% of lameness cases are associated with several foot lesions such as digital dermatitis, interdigital phlegmon, and sole ulcers. It was widely demonstrated that foot lesions not only compromise animal welfare but also reduce milk yield, reproductive performance, and overall herd longevity. The study was conducted on a herd of 320 dairy cows raised on a farm located in northern Italy, where a foot health management protocol was implemented. The protocol included a weekly routine of hoof trimming and data collection with a specific recording system. Data collection included lameness, disease recording and milk production records. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the foot health management protocol on foot lesions, herd performance, and environmental outcomes. Data collected before and after protocol implementation were analyzed over a two-year period. The results showed that the occurrence of severe foot diseases decreased significantly; particularly there were differences (p<0.05) in the percentages of sole ulcers and abscesses before and after implementation. The incidence of laminitis also had a significant difference between the years showing the benefits of earlier detection and intervention. The percentage of healthy animals increased significantly over the two years (p<0.05). The farm’s environmental impact also improved in parallel with herd health and productivity. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that proper foot health management is essential for improving both economic and sustainability outcomes in dairy farming.
The management of foot health as a tool to improve the sustainability of a dairy farm
Capretti C.
;Lanzoni L.;Vignola G.;Di Pasquale J.
2025-01-01
Abstract
One of the greatest challenges for the next years is the sustainable development of the livestock sector. In this context, integrating animal health and welfare parameters through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach is key to reaching this goal. Among the mitigation strategies, one specific action is the implementation of targeted management protocols regarding the most important diseases detected in dairy farms, such as lameness. About 90% of lameness cases are associated with several foot lesions such as digital dermatitis, interdigital phlegmon, and sole ulcers. It was widely demonstrated that foot lesions not only compromise animal welfare but also reduce milk yield, reproductive performance, and overall herd longevity. The study was conducted on a herd of 320 dairy cows raised on a farm located in northern Italy, where a foot health management protocol was implemented. The protocol included a weekly routine of hoof trimming and data collection with a specific recording system. Data collection included lameness, disease recording and milk production records. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the foot health management protocol on foot lesions, herd performance, and environmental outcomes. Data collected before and after protocol implementation were analyzed over a two-year period. The results showed that the occurrence of severe foot diseases decreased significantly; particularly there were differences (p<0.05) in the percentages of sole ulcers and abscesses before and after implementation. The incidence of laminitis also had a significant difference between the years showing the benefits of earlier detection and intervention. The percentage of healthy animals increased significantly over the two years (p<0.05). The farm’s environmental impact also improved in parallel with herd health and productivity. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that proper foot health management is essential for improving both economic and sustainability outcomes in dairy farming.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
