What Causes Laminitis In Cows

Laminitis has multiple causes some of which commonly occur together.

What causes laminitis in cows.

Slatted floors can cause lameness in cattle due to injuries if the slats are fitted incorrectly or poorly maintained. Correct grain overload keeping the animal moving and the claws cool. Dr chris clark of the western college of veterinary medicine discusses some of the many causes of lameness in cattle. Laminitis claw disease digital dermatitis and foot rot.

Heavier cattle or cattle held on feed for too long are at a higher risk for lameness. W hile it is associated with high concentrate feeding both laminitis and sole ulcers can be linked directly to. Today laminitis also known as founder is the main cause of lameness in cattle. The most frequent causes of lameness are.

Thus laminitis has a great economic impact on dairy operations and all over the world dairy producers are moving towards housing cows in intensive confined conditions. These causes can be grouped into broad categories. While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis. The classic hypothesis suggests that high levels of carbohydrate in the diet see subacute ruminal acidosis invoke an increase of streptococcus bovis and lactobacillus spp which induce a state of acidosis in the rumen.

Antihistamines may be useful e g. One of the more common causes current theory states citation needed that if a horse is given grain in excess or eats grass under stress and has accumulated excess nonstructural carbohydrates sugars starch or fructan it may be unable. The causes vary and may include the following. High grain rations erratic feed consumption due to weather factors or feed supply problems and improper feed processing are risk factors for laminitis.

Since individual cows often have more than one cause for lameness at the same time it is important to understand the different types of lameness as well as the treatment and prevention protocols. Injectable diphenhydramine 0 5 to 1 0 mg kg iv im. Nsaid non steroidal anti inflammatory drug injectable ketoprofen 2 to 4 mg kg im iv. Cattle infected with mycoplasma bovis are at risk of joint infection.

Excessive protein levels in the diet unlikely in pasture based farming systems except at turnout onto fresh grass in spring are also known to cause laminitis. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body.