The influence of lesion type on the duration of hyperalgesia associated with hindlimb lameness in dairy cattle

The nociceptive thresholds of 42 sound dairy cattle were compared with 53 animals displaying hind-claw lameness. All animals in the study were lameness scored and nociceptive threshold tested. Each animal then received a routine claw trim while the lame cattle also had the cause of lameness determined and treated. Those cattle found to have a unilateral hind-claw lameness (n = 42) were re-evaluated at 28 days after treatment. The lame cattle were found to have a significantly lower nociceptive threshold (P < 0.001) as compared to the sound animals on day 1 and also at retesting on day 28 (P < 0.001). The group which were retested on day 28 were subdivided by lesion type: sole ulcer; white line disease and acute digital tissue infection. Each lesion type caused a decreased nociceptive threshold at day 1. At re-evaluation on day 28 only the thresholds of the acute digital tissue infection group were not significantly different from the sound group but thresholds in sole ulcer and white line disease cows were still depressed.