The influence of long-term supplementation with biotin on the prevention of lameness in pasture fed dairy cows

In a double-blind study, the influence of biotin supplementation on lamenes s in dairy cows was investigated over a 13-mo period. The experimental site was a tropical upland environment and involved over 2705 Holstein and Frie sian cows on 20 participating farms. Cows on 10 farms received biotin at a rate of 20 mg/head per day in the concentrate, and cows on 10 other farms r eceived feed without the biotin supplement. Premixes with or without biotin were incorporated into a grain concentrate that was fed at a constant rate to cows at milking. Farmers maintained accurate records of the nature of h oof problems and any treatment applied. Each herd was evaluated for locomotion scores at 8-wk intervals. Locomotion scores were significantly correlated with the number of days with measurab le rainfall per month (r = 0.88). The biotin-supplemented herds exhibited b etter locomotion scores than the unsupplemented herds. In the wet summer pe riod the number of lame cows, as observed by the farmer, were significantly fewer during the rainy period for the biotin-supplemented herds and requir ed fewer antibiotic treatments than unsupplemented herds. Most hoof lesions were most commonly observed in the outer claws of the hind limb. Daily milk production (17.3 vs. 18.5 L) was not affected by biotin suppleme ntation. Reduced milk fat percentage and somatic cell counts of bulk milk w ere recorded in the biotin supplemented herds during the wet, summer period .