Sj. Wells et al., EFFECT OF LONG-TERM ADMINISTRATION OF A PROLONGED RELEASE FORMULATIONOF BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN (SOMETRIBOVE) ON CLINICAL LAMENESS IN DAIRY-COWS, American journal of veterinary research, 56(8), 1995, pp. 992-996
A matched case-control study design was used to assess the effects of
long-term administration of a prolonged release formulation of bovine
somatotropin (sometribove) on clinical lameness and limb lesions in da
iry cows. Cows treated with sometribove for at least 2 lactations (cas
es) and nontreated dairy cows matched by herd, parity, age, and stage
of lactation (controls) in 8 herds were evaluated for clinical lamenes
s (as assessed by gait abnormality) and limb lesions by 2 observers, u
sing a standardized scoring procedure at a single herd visit. Although
a high proportion of the study cows were clinically lame (43%), an as
sociation was not detected between chronic administration of sometribo
ve and prevalent lameness. Of 21 types of limb lesions identified, 2 w
ere positively associated and 2 were negatively associated with long-t
erm sometribove use. Superficial laceration of the tarsus (odds ratio
[OR] = 2.1) and superficial swelling of the metatarsophalangeal joint
(OR = 4.5) were positively associated with sometribove treatment, wher
eas femoral lesions (on = 0.2) and superficial lacerations of the femu
r (OR = 0.14) were negatively associated with sometribove treatment.