Erfassung der Klauengesundheit in Anbinde- und Laufställen von bayerischen Fleckviehkuhherden und deren Auswirkung auf die Milchleistung

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of the housing systems loose house (LH) and tie stall (TS) on claw health and the effect on the milk production for dairy cows of the breed Fleckvieh. 35 Bavarian farms participated in the study, comprising 1435 Fleckvieh cows in total. 100 -day performance was observed by 333 cows, the 305 -day performance in 289 cows. The evaluation of claw health was part of the regular claw care. Documentation was done according to the commonly applied diagnosis code of the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts Gesellschaft, DLG). The diagnosed claw health conditions were graded according to the DLG-scheme: grade 1 (low), grade 2 (medium) and grade 3 (severe), whereby the proportion of cows in grade 3 was very low (about 6%). Milk production records were provided from routine performance recording. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate analysis of variance. The percentage of affected animals kept in loose houses was significantly higher than the one of the animals kept in tie stalls (LH 79.3%, TS 62.6%). In both farming systems white-line-disease (LH 40.3%, TS 33.2%) and laminitis (LH 34.7%, TS 26.8%) were most prevalent. Milk production of LH-animals was significantly affected by claw health status. A significantly lower 100 -day performance was observed in animals with moderate to severe claw disorders compared to healthy animals (around 480 kg milk/first hundred days). Claw skin diseases caused a stronger decrease than claw horn diseases (skin: 600 kg milk, horn: 360 kg milk). Claw health status also had an effect on the 305 - days milk yield: For severe claw disorders a difference of - 1135 kg of milk per 305 - day milk yield could be registered. Again, claw skin diseases led to a higher reduction than claw horn diseases (-949 kg of milk or 522 kg of milk). The milk yield of affected animals housed in TS also tended to be inferior to that of healthy animals, but the effects were statistically not significant (-448 kg milk).