Lt. Midla et al., SUPPLEMENTAL DIETARY BIOTIN FOR PREVENTION OF LESIONS ASSOCIATED WITHASEPTIC SUBCLINICAL LAMINITIS (PODODERMATITIS ASEPTICA DIFFUSA) IN PRIMIPAROUS COWS, American journal of veterinary research, 59(6), 1998, pp. 733-738
Objective-To evaluate, in primiparous cows, the effect of dietary biot
in supplementation on severity of lesions of aseptic subclinical lamin
itis. Animals-100 primiparous cows in a 800-cow commercial dairy herd.
Procedure-Cows were assigned after calving to a biotin-supplemented (
20 mg/head/d) or control group on an alternating basis. Digits 3 and 4
of the left forelimb and right hind limb were examined at a mean of 2
5, 108, and 293 days after parturition. Toe length, hoof angle, and he
el depth were measured, and hooves were examined for solear hemorrhage
, yellow solear discoloration, separation of the white line, and heel
erosion. Serum and milk biotin concentrations were also measured. Resu
lts-Serum biotin concentrations were significantly higher for suppleme
nted than for control cows. During the second examination, prevalence
of separation of the white line of digits 3 and 4 of the hind limb and
digit 4 of the forelimb was lower for supplemented than for control c
ows. Mean decrease in heel depth between the first and third examinati
ons was approximately twice as great for digit 4 of the forelimb and 4
times as great for digit 3 of the forelimb in supplemented, versus co
ntrol, cows. Other differences were nor found. Conclusions and Clinica
l Relevance-Results suggest that supplemental dietary biotin may have
a beneficial effect on hoof health in intensively managed primiparous
dairy cows.