Locomotion Scoring Dairy Cattle

Locomotion scoring dairy animal:

Locomotion scoring dairy animal is based on the Standing position and walking of dairy animal with special care on their back posture. This system is easy to use and implement.

Use of locomotion scoring is effective for early detection hoof disorders, lameness, comparing the incidence and severity of lameness between herds and identifying individual cows for functional hoof disorders and lameness.

Range of Scoring:

Locomotion scoring ranges from 1 to 5 , in which 1 indicate the normal animal and 5 indicates  the severally lame animal.

Dairy Cattle Locomotion Scores and Descriptions:

Locomotion Score: 1

Clinical Description: Normal

Description: Animal remain normal during standing and walking, no arched posture. Topline of animal remain straight. Animal make long strides.

Stands and walks normally with a level back. Makes long confident strides. Back Posture Standing: Flat. Back Posture Walking: Flat.

 

Locomotion Score: 2

Clinical Description: Mildly lame

Description: Animal remain normal during standing but show arched during walking, animal is mildly lame. Gait of animal is disturbed.

Stands with flat back, but arches when walks. Gait is slightly abnormal. Back Posture Standing: Flat. Back Posture Walking: Arched.

Description: Stands and walks with an arched back and short strides with one or more legs. Slight sinking of dew-claws in limb opposite to the affected limb may be evident. Back Posture Standing: Arched. Back Posture Walking: Arched.

 

Locomotion Score: 4

Clinical Description: Lame

Description: Animal shows arched back during standing and walking, animal is lame. Gait of animal is disturbed. Sinking of dew-claws in limb opposite to the affected limb may be visible. Animal can still bear some weight on them.

Arched back standing and walking. Favoring one or more limbs but can still bear some weight on them. Sinking of the dew-claws is evident in the limb opposite to the affected limb. Back Posture Standing: Arched. Back Posture Walking: Arched.

 

Locomotion Score: 5

Clinical Description: Severely Lame

Description: Animal shows pronounced arching back. Animal is Severely Lame. Gait of animal is disturbed. Sinking of dew-claws in limb opposite to the affected limb may be visible. Reluctant to move, with almost complete weight transfer off the affected limb.

Description: Pronounced arching of back. Reluctant to move, with almost complete weight transfer off the affected limb. Back Posture Standing: Arched. Back Posture Walking: Arched.

NOTE:

Animal observations should be made on a flat surface that provides good footing for cows. Cows scoring 2 or 3 should be examined and trimmed to prevent more serious problems. Trimming should be done by a competent hoof trimmer with the goal of returning the claws to functional weight bearing and conformation.