The Effect of Feeding Grass Silage in Early Pregnancy on Claw Health During First Lactation

Two groups of eight Holstein-Friesian heifers were fed either a grass-silage-based diet (S) or one based on meadow hay supplemented with 1.8kg/day barley concentrate mix (H) during cubicle housing as young stock (and in early pregnancy). Lameness and claw lesion development were monitored from appro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The veterinary journal (1997) 2001-03, Vol.161 (2), p.186-193
Main Authors: OFFER, J.E, FISHER, G.E.J, KEMPSON, S.A, LOGUE, D.N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Feed
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Cattle - physiology
Cattle Diseases - etiology
Cattle Diseases - physiopathology
claw lesions
Dairy heifers
Female
Foot Diseases - etiology
Foot Diseases - physiopathology
Foot Diseases - veterinary
forage
Hoof and Claw - pathology
Hoof and Claw - physiopathology
Hordeum
Lactation
lameness
Lameness, Animal - etiology
Lameness, Animal - physiopathology
Locomotion
Poaceae
Pregnancy
Random Allocation
Silage - adverse effects
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Summary:Two groups of eight Holstein-Friesian heifers were fed either a grass-silage-based diet (S) or one based on meadow hay supplemented with 1.8kg/day barley concentrate mix (H) during cubicle housing as young stock (and in early pregnancy). Lameness and claw lesion development were monitored from approximately four weeks before until 20 weeks after first calving. No significant difference was found between S and H for claw conformation or horn growth and wear. Both groups showed net wear immediately after calving. The prevalence of poor locomotion and the extent of lesion development 20 weeks after calving (when they were highest) were significantly (P< 0.05) higher in S than H. It was concluded that feeding grass silage to young stock may deleteriously affect subsequent claw health and that this risk factor requires further study.
ISSN:1090-0233
1532-2971
DOI:10.1053/tvjl.2000.0515