Abstract
In this study the potential usefulness of infrared thermography (IRT) as a
non-invasive tool to rapidly screen the most common non-infectious foot
lesions in dairy cows was evaluated. Thirty-eight healthy cows and 38 cows
affected by foot diseases were enrolled. Diseased cows showed the
following disorders at lateral and medial claw in the hind foot: white
line lesion, sole ulcer, sole haemorrhage, horizontal fissure, axial
fissure. Thermography images of hind foot were collected for each animal
using a digital infrared camera. Foot temperature was measured in four
regions: central area of the hind foot (A1), interdigital area of the hind
foot (A2), lateral (A3) and medial (A4) claw in the hind foot. Higher
temperature values in the regions A1 and A2 compared to A3 and A4 were
found in both healthy and diseased cows (p0.001). Cows affected by foot
diseases showed higher foot temperature values compared to healthy cows
(p0.05) in all considered regions. This study highlights the potential
application of IRT as a reliable, practical tool for detection of hoof
lesions in dairy cows. Multiple scanning images and comparisons between
affected and healthy anatomical structures could be useful in defining the
consistency of abnormality.
Go to article