{"id":56757,"date":"2019-05-30T22:00:24","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T22:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/locomotion-scoring-helps-catch-lameness-problems-early\/"},"modified":"2023-07-19T13:09:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:09:51","slug":"locomotion-scoring-helps-catch-lameness-problems-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/en_na\/resource-center\/blog\/locomotion-scoring-helps-catch-lameness-problems-early\/","title":{"rendered":"Locomotion Scoring Helps Catch Lameness Problems Early"},"content":{"rendered":"

When\nwe feel good, we stand tall and take full measure of our stride. The same is\ntrue for livestock. However, there may be several different issues gradually at\nwork impacting the health of feet and legs in dairy cattle, beef cattle and\nswine. In order to catch lameness early before the direct and indirect costs\nadd up, a free, objective and simple observation system has been developed called\nlocomotion scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost of Lameness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lameness has costs in loss of milk production and breeding intervals in the dairy cow<\/a>, reduced average daily gains in beef cattle<\/a>, and in sow longevity and production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nbiggest problem in calculating the cost of lameness on a herd basis is knowing\nthe incidence of lameness. A locomotion scoring system can help with\nrecordkeeping related to the lameness incidence, the type of injury or lesion\ncausing the condition, whether it is a new or chronic case, and the\neffectiveness of the treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

D.J. Sprecher at Michigan State University developed and outlined a five-point scoring system in 1997 for dairy cow locomotion scoring<\/a>, including observation of the cow standing and walking \u2014 with special emphasis on the cow\u2019s back posture which is evidence of weight redistribution. Since that time, Kansas State University and Zinpro worked together to modify the scoring for a four-point system for scoring beef cattle lameness<\/a>, and Zinpro worked with the University of Minnesota in applying the system to score sow lameness<\/a>, but both still take note of the animal\u2019s back posture and movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research\nhas shown that changes in the spinal curvature have a high correlation with the\npresence of claw lesions, which can be the first indication of lameness and a\nsignal that treatment should begin before more serious lesions develop. By\nidentifying even slight back arching, you may be able to catch lameness in its\ninitial stages and treat it before more serious lesions develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cow\nhoof problems and claw lesions may develop from infectious (e.g., wet\nconditions or poor foot hygiene) or non-infectious factors (e.g., overcrowding\nor prolonged standing). In either case, once lameness develops past the first\ntwo levels of the locomotion scoring, it typically will only get worse and\nthreaten the animal\u2019s health more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basics of Locomotion Scoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are scoring lameness in swine, beef cattle or dairy\ncows, the situation for locomotion scoring has common elements across all\nspecies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n