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Workshop paper 10
Annelies Van Nuffel presents Workshop paper 10
In workshop 4: Reliability of scoring cow lameness
Friday, 12 September 2008 from 14h00-15h45 in the Het Pand chaired by Annelies van Nuffel
CAN PEOPLE SEE COW GAIT IRREGULARITIES?
A. Van Nuffel 1 , M. Sprenger 2 , W. Maertens 1 , F.A.M. Tuyttens 2 , B. Sonck 2
1
Agricultural Engineering, Technology and Food Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research,
Merelbeke, Belgium
2
Animal Husbandry and Welfare, Animal Sciences, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Melle,
Belgium
Gait scoring is being widely used as a tool to detect cattle lameness. Most of the current scoring
systems (e.g. Winckler et al.2001, Sprecher et al. 2002) are based on the ability of a human
observer to visually detect lame behavior. This might very well be a global impression of the cows
condition and movement but it is often based on specific classifiers (e.g. irregular foot fall, head
bobs, arched back) described in the scoring system used. It is known that scoring systems and
human observation in general have subjectivity issues, consequently extensive training is needed.
Furthermore, it is not clear which classifiers described in the scoring systems are most easy to
observe unambiguously.
It is our goal to see to which extent, one or more very specific cattle gait features (e.g. difference in
stance time between all 4 hooves, difference in step length, etc.) can be detected by human
observers.
At ILVO, a measurement system has been developed to measure most cattle gait variables using a
pressure sensitive position mat. It measures all spatial and temporal variables with respect to the
hoof imprints at up to three consecutive gait cycles. A set of video recordings of cows walking over
this mat with a different degree in the irregularity of their footfall pattern (as measured with the
automatic system) will be shown twice to all participants. Prior to the experiment, all participants
will be trained to score the severity of gait irregularities using the Welfare Quality 3-point scale.
During this experiment participants will not only score cow gait, but also point out on which visual
gait irregularity this score is based.
Combining these results with the data measured by the automatic system, the degree of irregularity
that is needed before humans can detect it, can be found.
Contact information: Annelies Van Nuffel or email annelies.vannuffel@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
Complete address: Agricultural Engineering, Technology and Food Unit, Institute for Agricultural
and Fisheries Research, Merelbeke, Belgium
Species: Cattle