The Influence of Laminitis on the Economic Efficiency of Dairy Cows

Abstract

The influence of laminitis on the productivity of dairy cows varies depending on the type of condition encountered. The increase in the number of cases presenting lameness leads to economic losses by decreasing milk production/lactation and fecundity on the farm. The present work was carried out at the Research and Development Institute for Bovine Balotesti, where the production and reproduction performance of a herd of 60 dairy cows, diagnosed with different types of pododermatitis in the period 2021-2023, was monitored. The prevalence of cows with laminitis was 20.3% in year 2021, 18.6% in year 2022 and 17.4% in year 2023. The data obtained showed that 31.66% of the herd studied was diagnosed with digital dermatitis, 43.33 % presented diseases at the level of the horn box (8.33% haemorrhagic ulcer, 28.33% double sole, and 6.66% abscesses of the white line) and 26.66% interdigital dermatitis. Laminitis caused economic losses by decreasing milk production and worsening reproductive indicators. Thus, cows diagnosed with digital dermatitis recorded a 5.7% lower milk production, in cows with horn box diseases the milk production was 4% lower and those with interdigital dermatitis 4.8% more small compared to the healthy cows on the farm.