Is the rotarod test an objective alternative to the gait score for evaluating walking ability in chickens?
Walking ability is related to motor co-ordination which, in rodents, can be assessed by an established test in pharmacological studies — the rotarod test. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a modified rotarod test for chickens and its relation to the often-used gait score system. At the end of their rearing period, we […]
Using gait score, walking speed, and lying behavior to detect hoof lesions in dairy cows
The objective was to determine whether changes in the different components of gait, walking speed, and lying behavior were associated with hoof pathologies in lactating Holstein cows. In experiment 1, 53 cows had their gait scored, their walking speed estimated, and their lying behavior monitored before clinical assessment of the hooves. Multiparous cows with ulcers […]
Cow gait scores and kinematic gait data: can people see gait irregularities?
Increasing lameness problems associated with intensified dairy cattle production has lead to the development of several techniques to automatically detect these problems. Comparisons of these new measuring techniques of cow locomotion with the conventional subjective observer scoring are scarce. In order to better understand human observers’ gait scoring, cows walking on a pressure-sensitive mat were […]
Automatic classification of measures of lying to assess the lameness of broilers
Leg disorders are a major cause of poor welfare in broilers. Previous studies have shown that at slaughter age at least 90% of chickens experienced some degree of gait problems and approximately 30% were seriously lame. In this study, a new and non-invasive technique was developed to automatically assess the lameness of the birds. For […]