Lameness in sows is a painful condition that can affect fertility,
mobility, feed intake and culling rate. Methods for the early
detection and prevention of lameness have not been studied
extensively, but if effective, such measures could improve overall
herd health, welfare and the productivity of sows. Poor hoof
condition is increasingly believed to be a contributing factor to
lameness development.
The objective of this study was to, i) conduct a survey to assess the
prevalence of lameness and hoof condition in a large commercial
sow herd, ii) assess the effectiveness of preventative hoof trimming
on reducing the occurrence and severity of lameness, and iii) assess
the effectiveness of an early intervention treatment, including
analgesics, provision of rubber stall matting to aid recovery and
a corrective hoof trim, at reducing the prevalence and severity of
lameness.
Results to date show that from a survey of 3,286 sows (55% of
the herd), almost 60% of sows showed signs of lameness in at
least one leg, and a large percentage of sows had multiple hoof
lesions. Although the completion of objectives ii and iii is ongoing,
preliminary data suggest that preventative hoof trimming reduces
the occurrence and severity of lameness in gestation. The results so
far indicate that true prevalence of lameness on farms is likely to be
underestimated.