Footpad horn hypertrophy and vertical fissure accompanied by white line disease 2 in case of concurrent deep digital sepsis in a culling cow

A5.2 year-old Holstein cow was presented with lameness and abnormal weight bearing in a slaughterhouse. Widening of the periople and swelling of the heel area in the lateral claw was more permanent than the medial claw. Vertical fissure [VF] involving the coronary band to the middle of the dorsal wall of the medial hind claw was observed. It was also extended to the bearing surface in the inner surface of the claw wall. White line disease 2 [WLD2] was seen in the length of VF on the bearing surface. The horn of the bulb apex of the lateral hind claw was hypertrophic. There was a groove in the footpad between the apex and base of the bulb too. Grosspathologically, the digital bones showed a wide range of bone changes such as new bone formation, pedal osteolysis and bony ankylosis. The hind leg was amputated at the tarsus immediately after slaughter. The lower limbs of lame cows were examined and the type and distribution of digital lesions were tabulated. An x-ray machine was used in this study to take radiographic images. The radiographic images taken from the involved digits of the affected case depicted a quite wide range of radiographic signs. After the first review of the X-ray film, samples were selected for further procedures through putrefaction. Laminitis may have affected this case at some previous time. Routine trimming seems to have prevented the premature culling in the cows with claw lesion

[Abattoir study on morphopathology of claw capsule in culling lame cows]

The majority of bovine lameness involves structures of the digit. A prompt identification of problematic cases is needed to be done for prevention of premature culling decision. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out at an abattoir in the vicinity of Tehran. 41 cases of culled lame cows, with special reference to the claw lesions and their distribution were randomly selected. All amputated limb were referred to Pathology Department for more routine pathological studies by Maceration and Bleaching. In this study, postmortem examination revealed typical changes of chronic laminitis were among the most common pathological features, suggesting that laminitis may have affected virtually all the herd at some previous time. Clinical signs are as follows: the claws were much taller and more boxy than normal and the abascial wall was convex in all directions. A bark-like substance occurred on the wall in some cases. Horn quality was poor in affected claws. Asymmetrical swelling of the heel and also appreciable widening of the periople part on the affected digit were the most common clinical features. Based on the results the following conclusions were reached: 1] chronic laminitis has an important role on the trend of culling in lamecows 2] the characteristic changes in the claw in culling lame cows may provide useful on-farm diagnostic technique for culling decision or attempt for appropriate therapy, particularly in deep sepsis cases