Effects of lameness on milk yield losses and reproduction efficiency in Brown Swiss cows

The aim of the current research trial was to evaluate the effects that lameness has on milk yield and reproduction efficiency in Brown Swiss dairy cattle breed. The study was carried out at the Research and Development Station for Bovine Arad (46°10′36″N 21°18′4″E) Romania, where purebred Brown Swiss cows (n=42) were included in the research herd, with available data from 74 lactations. The lameness incidence within the heard was of 4.76±3.32%. The number of artificial inseminations (AI) per gestation was of 1.11±0.11 in healthy cows, 1.66±0.23 in cows affected by lameness once and 2.13±0.21 in cows affected by lameness twice per lactation, respectively (p≤0.01). Healthy cows produced on average 5031.0±263.19 kg of milk per standard lactation, with production decreasing at 4975.3±551.50 kg in cows with one episode of lameness and 4894.3±178.28 kg in cows diagnosticated with two episodes of lameness, respectively (p>0.05). Current results suggest that lameness significantly impairs reproduction outputs, especially traits such as the number of AI per gestation.