Dr. Jenny Jason DairyNZ Senior Research Scientist

DairyNZ scientists are working with farmers in the Waikato to better understand the behavioural and physiological changes that occur when cows become lame.

Six farms with about 4000 cows in total are involved in the study; all within about an hour of the DairyNZ head office in Hamilton.

The study aims to assist farmers to be able to identify the first signs of lameness so they can intervene earlier to improve cow welfare and save the financial costs of lame cows. Lameness costs $300 per cow in terms of lost production and direct vet costs.

To participate in the study, the farms had to have a recording system in place that was routinely collecting milking, behaviour and liveweight data.

A new model for research using the latest in technology and information collection systems is also being tested in this study. Advanced technology is allowing access to much larger quantities of data on many more animals than would be possible on traditional research farms.

Each cow has a pedometer strapped to a rear leg, which records the number of steps taken in a day. As well as their ear tag, cows are identified using an electronic ID which is read when they enter the rotary dairy for milking. Various data points are collected on each cow, every day. The data are automatically sent to DairyNZ each night, via specialised software and stored in a central database.

The farmers and their staff have also been trained using the DairyNZ Healthy Hoof programme to detect and diagnose lameness better. Local veterinarians have worked with the farmers to deliver the programme, which will also help farmers identify risk areas on their farms. The farmers record the date they identify a lame cow, diagnose the injury and score the severity.

So far, about 114 cases of lameness have been recorded and early analyses of the data show changes in milk yield, milking order and activity several days before detection by the farmers, indicating there is potential to use the data to make management and treatment decisions.

Dr Claudia Kamphuis, who joined DairyNZ from the Netherlands in January, is leading the project. She has specialist skills in data analysis that will allow the team to develop multi-factor prediction models. Jennie Burke is the technician coordinating the data collection and regularly visits the farms to make sure everything is running smoothly. The first data was collected in December 2010 and collection will continue until the end of May 2012. Results can be expected soon after this date.

The project is part of the wider DairyNZ-led Precision Dairy Programme, which is co-funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation Primary Growth Partnership and DairyNZ Inc.