Correlations between biochemical blood parameters and claw lesions in Brown Swiss dairy cattle on alpine pasture

The influence of the harsh alpine conditions on claw health was evaluated i n a hundred Brown Swiss dairy cattle. Their claws were examined clinically three times during the ninety days on pasture and the lesions were recorded according to degree and localization. The data were compared with the bioc hemical parameters. Thirty of one hundred cows did not develop any claw lesions during the enti re time (group 1), nine animals had white line separation without lesions i n the sole (group 2). Hemorrhage and yellow discoloration in the sole of mo re than two claws were observed in sixty-one animals (group 3). The prevale nce of lameness ranged between 15 and 21 %. Heel horn erosion and yellow di scoloration decreased during the course of the ninety day period, whereas w hite line lesions and solar hemorrhages increased. Higher concentrations of urea, beta -hydroxybutyrate, free fatty acids and cholesterol in over 50 % of the cows reflected the meager feeding condition s. Animals with solar hemorrhages and yellow discolorations (group 3) had h igher plasma enzyme activities for AST, GLDH and gamma -GT than groups 1 an d 2.