Given the data paucity on dairy farmers' perspectives regarding bovine lameness and hoof diseases, particularly in South East Asian countries, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices toward lameness and hoof health among dairy cattle farmers in Malaysia. An online-based and face-to-face survey was conducted among 114 dairy farmers from four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis and an independent sample t-test. Overall, farmers demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and attitude regarding lameness and its impact on dairy cattle welfare and production. Lameness was ranked the second most important health issue in dairy farms after mastitis. Notably, 90% reported the presence of at least one lame cow on their farms, and 55% stated lameness as the reason for culling their cows. While sole ulcer was the hoof lesion mostly identified by farmers, 75% of them underestimated lameness prevalence on their farms and rarely implemented management strategies such as preventive hoof trimming and footbath. Farmers' educational qualification influenced their understanding of the impact of lameness on dairy cattle production. Despite reflecting satisfactory knowledge and attitude towards lameness in dairy cows, farmers in this study need to improve their current management practices to address lameness problem in their herds. Educating farmers on the importance of early detection and prompt treatment, and preventive measures are crucial for lameness control and improving hoof health in these dairy farms.
This systematic review presents scientific evidence on treatment modalities for claw horn lesions (CHLs) in dairy cows, and their efficacy in restoring normal gait, resolution of claw lesions, and improving nociceptive threshold. A literature search was performed in four databases leading to the synthesis of 10 articles for the final analysis. The types of treatment administered include single (STM), bimodal (BTM) and multimodal treatment modalities (MTM). Locomotion scores (LS) were the most reported outcome measure, followed by the resolution of claw lesion, time to lameness cure, nociceptive threshold and gait properties. Most pairwise comparisons for LS and nociceptive threshold depicted no significant difference between the various treatment groups. Meanwhile, a few pairwise comparisons in terms of resolution of claw lesion and time to lameness cure revealed that cows receiving MTM (claw trimming + hoof block + NSAID) or BTM (claw trimming + hoof block) recorded complete resolution of CHL and significantly less time to recover compared to those treated with an STM (only claw trimming). Despite the various modalities used in CHL treatment, their effects on LS, nociceptive threshold, and gait properties are still unclear. While evidence suggests that MTM and BTM facilitate rapid resolution of CHL and duration of lameness cure, only limited data are available and the association with specific lesions is poorly understood. Several sources of heterogeneity were identified between the studies, particularly duration of follow-up after treatment, LS systems, severity and duration of lameness, and types of treatment administered.