Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study
Reproductive physiology is one of the first systems which is altered when an animal suffers from an imbalance. This is crucial in tropical dairy farming, where maintaining homeostasis and production is particularly demanding. Lameness is a disorder commonly identified by impaired walking, but its ea...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/3/102 |
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| author | Karina Vilés Andrés García Octavio Rugel Nahim Jorgge |
| author_facet | Karina Vilés Andrés García Octavio Rugel Nahim Jorgge |
| author_sort | Karina Vilés |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reproductive physiology is one of the first systems which is altered when an animal suffers from an imbalance. This is crucial in tropical dairy farming, where maintaining homeostasis and production is particularly demanding. Lameness is a disorder commonly identified by impaired walking, but its early diagnosis could reduce the negative repercussions on production, welfare, and postpartum conception. To evaluate the effect of lameness on postpartum conception, a prospective observational cohort study with a cross-sectional design was developed. Fifty-two Jersey milking cows raised under hot–humid tropical conditions were scored using a five-point locomotion scoring (LS) system (1—non-lame, 2—slightly lame, 3—moderately lame, 4—lame, and 5—severely lame), considering scores ≥ 3 to indicate clinical lameness. Inseminations per conception and days open (CCI) were registered. Inseminations were similar in animals scoring 1, 2, 3, and 5, while they increased in cows with a score of 4, which also increased their CCI along with animals that scored 5. Positive correlations were observed between LS and reproductive variables. The herd’s conception rate was reduced from 45% to 21.8% in the presence of clinical lameness (score ≥ 3). Applying the LS system should be essential as part of routine medical examinations used to monitor dairy herds, and it becomes even more crucial under hot–humid tropical environments, where adverse conditions could rapidly aggravate the early stages of lameness and not only increase the costs of hoof care, but also delay fertility in cattle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:45:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b12f164075c483ba519dffe635a69f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:45:59Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b12f164075c483ba519dffe635a69f92024-03-27T14:07:20ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812024-02-0111310210.3390/vetsci11030102Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective StudyKarina Vilés0Andrés García1Octavio Rugel2Nahim Jorgge3Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Agrarian University of Ecuador, Guayaquil 090104, EcuadorDepartment of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Agrarian University of Ecuador, Guayaquil 090104, EcuadorDepartment of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Agrarian University of Ecuador, Guayaquil 090104, EcuadorDepartment of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Agrarian University of Ecuador, Guayaquil 090104, EcuadorReproductive physiology is one of the first systems which is altered when an animal suffers from an imbalance. This is crucial in tropical dairy farming, where maintaining homeostasis and production is particularly demanding. Lameness is a disorder commonly identified by impaired walking, but its early diagnosis could reduce the negative repercussions on production, welfare, and postpartum conception. To evaluate the effect of lameness on postpartum conception, a prospective observational cohort study with a cross-sectional design was developed. Fifty-two Jersey milking cows raised under hot–humid tropical conditions were scored using a five-point locomotion scoring (LS) system (1—non-lame, 2—slightly lame, 3—moderately lame, 4—lame, and 5—severely lame), considering scores ≥ 3 to indicate clinical lameness. Inseminations per conception and days open (CCI) were registered. Inseminations were similar in animals scoring 1, 2, 3, and 5, while they increased in cows with a score of 4, which also increased their CCI along with animals that scored 5. Positive correlations were observed between LS and reproductive variables. The herd’s conception rate was reduced from 45% to 21.8% in the presence of clinical lameness (score ≥ 3). Applying the LS system should be essential as part of routine medical examinations used to monitor dairy herds, and it becomes even more crucial under hot–humid tropical environments, where adverse conditions could rapidly aggravate the early stages of lameness and not only increase the costs of hoof care, but also delay fertility in cattle.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/3/102dairy cattletropicslamenessreproductive performance |
| spellingShingle | Karina Vilés Andrés García Octavio Rugel Nahim Jorgge Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study Veterinary Sciences dairy cattle tropics lameness reproductive performance |
| title | Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study |
| title_full | Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study |
| title_fullStr | Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study |
| title_short | Locomotion Score and Postpartum Conception in Jersey Cows Raised under Hot–Humid Tropical Conditions: A Prospective Study |
| title_sort | locomotion score and postpartum conception in jersey cows raised under hot humid tropical conditions a prospective study |
| topic | dairy cattle tropics lameness reproductive performance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/3/102 |
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