Schwanzspitzennekrosen und Ringabschnürungen konnten insbesondere bei Mastrindern in der Literatur beschrieben werden. Als Ursache werden Technopathien, aber auch ein Zusammenhang mit einer hohen Kraftfuttergabe, und daraus resultierender Pansenazidose genannt. Im Zusammenhang mit Veränderungen an der Schwanzspitze konnte bei Masttieren auch ein häufigeres Auftreten von Lahmheiten beobachtet werden. Auch bei anderen Tierarten kommen Veränderungen an den Schwanzspitzen, beispielsweise in Folge von Entzündungsprozessen, Mykotoxinen im Futter oder Hitzestress vor.
Bei Milchkühen gibt es zum Vorkommen von Veränderungen an der Schwanzspitze kaum Studien. Eigene Vorarbeiten haben ergeben, dass auch bei Milchkühen Veränderungen der Schwanzspitze mit zum Teil hohen Prävalenzen auftreten. Die Auswertung der erhobenen Daten hat gezeigt, dass bei Milchkühen - in Bezug auf diese Veränderungen - verschiedene Ausprägungen (Schwanzspitzennekrosen, Ringabschnürungen, Schuppenbildung, warzenähnliche Zubildungen, Schwellungen oder Verdünnungen) beobachtet werden können und es einen Zusammenhang zwischen diesen und der Klauengesundheit zu geben scheint. Aufgrund des noch zu geringen Stichprobenumfangs sind diese Aussagen bisher nicht allgemeingültig.
Ziele dieser Studie sind
Sollte es sich bei den von uns beobachteten Veränderungen um ein generelles Problem von hochleistenden Milchkühen handeln, könnte die leicht zugängliche Schwanzspitze beim Milchvieh als Tierschutzindikator genutzt und entsprechende Empfehlungen zur Haltungs- und Managementoptimierung für Milchvieh haltende Betriebe abgeleitet werden.
Auf Basis der Ergebnisse sollen zukünftig Handlungsempfehlungen für Landwirt:innen erstellt werden, die das Vorkommen von Schwanzspitzennekrosen verringern und die damit verbundenen Auswirkungen auf das Tierwohl und die Tiergesundheit verbessern.
Meier, S.; Abel, K.; Kremer-Rücker, P. (2021): Using Thermal Imaging to Detect Tail Tip Alterations in Dairy Cows. 72nd Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science, 30. August - 03. September, Davos 2021 (27), S. 157. DOI: 10.3920/978-90-8686-918-3
In fattening bulls tail tip alterations are described as health issues
associated with (sub)acute rumen acidosis and lameness. Investigations
of dairy cows’ tail tips are scarce; however, there is evidence that
tail tip alterations occur as a result of intensive feeding management
and metabolic imbalance. In June 2020, we investigated 68 German
Holstein cows for tail tip alterations using a handheld thermal camera
(FLIR® T1030). Thermal images of the shaved tail tip were taken from two
different perspectives: (p1) tail in front of the udder and (p2) held
tail in front of the ground. Additionally, all cows were evaluated for
any kind of tail tip alterations, body condition score (BCS), and
locomotion score (LMS). Milk yield data, resulting from latest
performance testing were collected, too. Images were analysed using FLIR
Tool+ and a generalised linear model was used to correct measured
temperatures for fixed effects. The prevalence of tail tip alterations,
regardless the findings, was 94%. Raw temperature data showed high
correlations of r² = 0.79 for maximum and average temperature and r² =
0.70 for minimum temperature between p1 and p2 (P < 0.001).
Tail tip necroses and BCS > 3 decreased the tail’s temperature, while
swelling of the tail tip increased its temperature. Average, maximum
and minimum temperatures for perspective 1 and 2 were 34.05 (±0.16) and
33.78 (±0.20) °C, 35.46 (±0.11) and 35.52 (±0.11) °C, and 30.30 (±0.30)
and 29.22 (±0.38) °C, respectively. Temperatures of necrotic tissues (n =
4) decreased on average by 8.38 °C compared to the average temperature
and were close to the minimum. We concluded thermal imaging can be used
for the detection of alterations regarding the tail’s temperature, which
could allow an early-warning system for swellings, probably caused by
inflammation and possibly resulting in necroses. Further studies are
needed to evaluate the praevalence of tail tip alterations in dairy cows
on larger samples and to clarify their etiology. However, thermal
imaging can be used as an early-warning system for tail alterations.
Each early-warning system regarding health issues, improves animal
welfare as it allows adapting management strategies early.
Abstract
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Meier, S.; Abel, K.; Kremer-Rücker, P. (2021): Development of a Tail Scoring as Health Indicator for Dairy Cows. Proceedings of the 44th ICAR Annual Conference virtually held from Leeuwarden, NL 2021 (25), S. 1-6.
Research
investigating necrotic tail tips in dairy cows resulting in necrotic tissues is
scarce. However, there is evidence that in dairy cattle tail tip necroses exist
with high prevalence. In piglets, the latest research described tail and ear
necroses not because of tail and ear biting only, but because of swine inflammation
and necrosis syndrome (SINS). Besides tails and ears, SINS includes
inflammation of claws, heels, and teats. In cattle, tail tip necroses are described
mainly in fattening bulls. As known so far, these findings are often discussed
related to slatted flooring, intensive housing systems and management
strategies. However, an association with subacute rumen acidosis and laminitis is
described. In order to
investigate what kind of and how often tail tip alterations appear in dairy
cattle, data of 87 German Holstein dairy cows were collected over a period of
12 months. All cows were evaluated for tail tip alterations, body condition
score (BCS), and locomotion score (LMS) every two weeks. In addition, milk
yield data resulting from performance testing were included. Thermographic images
of the tails were taken once. Firstly, all kind of tail tip alterations were
described and collected. After 6 months, we categorized the observed
alterations and developed a tail scoring system. The scoring for each specified
trait (tail tip, tail ring) ranged from 0 to 4. The overall
prevalence for tail alterations was 94%. Especially tail tip alterations had a constantly
high prevalence of 56%. Cows affected by an increased average tail tip score,
showed higher locomotion scores compared to others (P = 0.02). The prevalence of ring-like tail alterations increased
from first to second lactation cows from 9 to 46%. Regarding the BCS, lighter
cows showed higher scores due to ring-like alterations than heavier cows (P = 0.054). The most often occurring
anomalies of the tail were sports or scurf (21.6%), followed by verruca-like
mass (10.2%), swelling (8.4%), and thinning (4.3%). The results
and especially the scoring system can serve as a template for further studies considering
larger samples sizes, to investigate prevalence for tail necroses and other
tail anomalies in different herds and management systems. It was hypothesized,
that an inflammatory condition in dairy cows showing up in altered/necrotic
tail tips or rings exists, which is in relationship with claw disorders indicated
by lameness. If so, the tail score of a cow could be used as health indicator
to evaluate the health status in dairy production systems.
Abstract
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Doktorandin | Amalie Anna Köhler |
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Wissenschaftlich betreuende Person HSWT | Prof. Dr. med. vet. habil. Prisca Kremer-Rücker |
Einrichtungen |
Fakultät Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittel und Ernährung Fakultät Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittel und Ernährung |
Wissenschaftlich betreuende Person (extern) | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München | Prof. Dr. Armin Scholz |
Zeitraum | 21.04.2021 - 30.04.2024 |