Livestock research projects explored
Caroline Stocks looks at the latest research projects currently ongoing within each livestock sector and finds out how they will help farmers when the results come to fruition later this year
Lameness control in dairy cows
University of Nottingham, funded by DairyCo
The problem
Failure to treat lameness in dairy cattle quickly and effectively can can significantly affect welfare, health and productivity, as well as making cattle more susceptible to lameness in future.
While there are a range of treatments available for lameness, none have ever been investigated in a scientific setting to find which are the most effective for treating claw horn lesions.
The research
Part of a series of studies into lameness being carried out over five years. Researchers at the University of Nottingham have recorded cases of lameness in 180 cows across five commercial farms for the past 18 months.
In a randomised clinical trial, the 180 cows were treated with one of four treatments for claw horn lesions: a therapeutic treatment, a treatment plus a block, a treatment plus a three-day course of anti-inflammatories, or a combination of all three.
After five weeks of treatment, mobility score and milk production of each cow was assessed.
How it will help farmers
Results published later this year will be incorporated into DairyCo’s healthy feet programme to help farmers and vets to identify the most effective treatments for claw horn disease and other foot issues.
Incorporating results from other lameness studies, researchers hope to use the findings to create a series of standardised on-farm protocols for farmers and vets to diagnose and treat individual lame cows.
“This study will be the first one to say ‘this approach delivers the best outcomes’ in the treatment of lesions, which is significant for farmers tackling the problem,” says Jon Huxley, associate professor of farm animal production medicine of the University of Nottingham.
“It is a direct follow-on from research that identified that early and effective treatment of lame cows delivers the best results. Leaving cases to progress and become severe makes them less likely to recover or to recover quickly.
“The next study will compare cattle recovery on farms where the farmer has had a lot of training in early identification of lameness compared with those who haven’t to see if better training is something that’s needed.”
Overcoming light pig syndrome
Newcastle University, funded by BPEX
The problem
Poor growth in pigs has a range of financial and environmental implications for the sector. Lightweight pigs can be associated with poor feed conversion and system inefficiencies which lead to animals being on-farm for longer.
Having a range of weights at slaughter can leave pig producers facing financial penalties at the abattoir for poor grading specifications.
The project
Scientists at Newcastle University spent a year analysing a database containing information on 140,000 pigs to identify why some grew slower than others.
Looking at birth, intermediate and finishing weights, as well as litter size and management factors, scientists found factors around birth and weaning weights were found to cause poor growth.
The study is now focusing on the early stages of pigs’ lives to develop treatments which will reduce the deficits in growth, including alternative nutrition and management systems.
How it will help farmers
Researchers hope to recommend a series of management systems and treatments to help farmers increase the weight of piglets which are born under-weight or have lost weight through illness and are struggling to regain it.
“Every farm has different management systems and how farmers respond to pigs with low birth weights can vary massively,” says researcher Sadie Douglas.
“Often management isn’t geared towards them, so light piglets struggle to catch up.
“In the pre-weaning stages, some farmers cross-foster and have all the low birth-weights on one litter or they give supplementary milk, but at the moment there are mixed messages about what to do for the best.
“We know supplementary milk is great for reducing mortality as it gives small piglets milk without competition, but there are different opinions about when it should be provided.
“Hopefully the findings we publish at the end of the year will recommend treatments that will improve growth and identify existing management systems which are useful.”
The role of biotin in reducing sheep lameness
ADAS in partnership with EBLEX
The problem
About 10% of the UK sheep flock suffers from lameness, causing significant losses in production and poor welfare.
In 80% of flocks, foot rot and scald are the most common causes of lameness, accounting for about 90% of foot lameness in the national flock.
However white line disease – or shelly hoof – is common to many and poor hoof integrity may be a precursor to other infections including foot rot.
The research
Researchers investigated if ewes supplemented with the B vitamin biotin saw reduced cases of lameness. It has been suggested that biotin may have a role to play in prevention of white line and possibly other foot conditions in sheep as it does in other species by producing keratin.
They selected 200 sheep with and without white line lesions from a farm with a history of lameness. Fifty lame and fifty sound ewes were given a biotin bolus, while the others received a control bolus with no biotin.
The ewes were monitored and scored by a vet and treated to best-practice standards.
How it will help farmers
Once completed later this year, the research will determine whether dosing with biotin has resulted in better foot health by producing a more robust hoof or whether other treatment approaches may be suited to different on-farm circumstances.
“Supplementing with vitamins comes at a cost and it is important farmers have access to objective information on whether there is a genuine benefit before spending money on preventative measures,” says Kim Matthews, EBLEX head of research.
“The results will enable EBLEX to advise farmers and their advisers on the benefits of biotin so that they can make informed decisions about the cost -benefit of this treatment.”
Comparing risk factors for respiratory disease in weaned homebred calves on commercial beef farms
RAFT solutions in partnership with the EBLEX research and development programme
The problem
Bovine respiratory disease remains a major problem on many beef farms, despite the disease pathogens being identified and a range of therapeutic and preventative medicines being developed.
The disease costs the UK cattle industry about £60m each year by threatening fertility and productivity, so understanding the failure of current control measures is necessary to help the profitability of the sector.
The research
Scientists developed a year-long pilot study to find out what factors were contributing to the outbreak of BRD by carrying out a “Pneumonia MOT” on three high-incidence and three low-incidence farms.
Data was collected on ventilation, stocking rates and humidity of buildings on the high-incidence farms in a bid to identify whether current control strategies were inadequate, knowledge transfer was ineffective, or whether recommendations were being ignored.
The study found there were three main themes which affected a farm’s susceptibility to a BRD outbreak. These included animal issues including species characteristics, stocking rate and nutrition, environmental factors including housing and ventilation, and pathogens including viruses and biosecurity issues with purchased stock.
How it will help farmers
Researchers plan to use their initial findings to develop a “‘Pneumonia MOT”, which farmers can use to identify if conditions on their farm could make their cattle more susceptible to BRD.
Further research has also been identified from this pilot study to look at how nutrition and vaccination techniques on cattle’s immune systems, as well as how ventilation and moisture levels can be improved through environmental management. Raising awareness on the health risks of purchased stock has also been identified as an area for future work.
“One of the general conclusions derived from the findings of this study is that recommendations are not always being followed,” says vet Jonathan Statham of RAFT solutions, who carried out the study.
“Whether this is through choice, lack of resources, unawareness or lack of understanding is not clear in all cases, but in general terms it is likely to be a combination of these.
“There needs to be continued knowledge exchange to farmers regarding BRD from a range of industry sources, delivering a consistent set of messages.”
If you are having a problem with lameness in your sheep, why not visit our dedicated lameness area that sets out the five point plan that can help sheep producers get on top of the problem.