lameness prevalence in confined and grazing systems in Argentina

The aim of this study was to evaluate the consistency of estimations of lameness prevalence between farm managers and locomotion scoring conducted by a trained observer in confined and grazing systems.Grazing (n= 9) and confined dairy farms (n=9) distributed in Santa Fe, Cordoba and Entre Rios provinces, the main dairy region of Argentina, were visited in spring-summer season (November 2021 to February 2022). Grazing dairy farms had lactating cows on pasture all year round, and confined dairy farms had cows under a barn either on a free-stall or a compost-bedded pack housing system, with no access to pasture. Only two of the confined farms had a loafing area with no pasture.

本研究旨在评估圈养与放牧系统中，牧场管理者对跛行患病率（lameness prevalence）的评估结果，与经过专业培训的观察员所开展的运动评分（locomotion scoring）结果之间的一致性。研究共走访了分布于阿根廷核心奶牛养殖产区圣菲省、科尔多瓦省及恩特雷里奥斯省的牧场，其中放牧型奶牛场（n=9）与圈养型奶牛场（n=9）各9家，调研工作于2021年11月至2022年2月的春夏季节开展。放牧型奶牛场全年将泌乳母牛饲养于牧场中；圈养型奶牛场则采用自由栏位（free-stall）或堆肥垫料堆舍饲养系统（compost-bedded pack housing system）进行饲养，奶牛无法接触牧场，仅其中2家圈养牧场设有休憩区（loafing area），且该区域未设置牧场供奶牛活动。