Impact of claw trimming on surface temperature variations across claw regions in dairy cows: Insights from infrared thermography

Abstract

Lameness in dairy cattle significantly impacts animal welfare, milk production, and farm economics, with routine claw trimming being a key preventive measure. However, its effects on claw temperatures and the potential of infrared thermography (IRT) as a diagnostic tool are not well understood. This study investigates the use of IRT to measure temperature variations in specific anatomical regions of the claw before (baseline) and post-trimming in healthy Holstein cows. A total of 108 s-parity cows were examined, and thermographic images with different temperature levels (minimum-average and maximum) were captured from solar aspect of both lateral and medial claws along with their dermis in nine defined regions. For lateral claws, in the abaxial white line, axial groove and sole apex region increased significantly in different temperature levels (P < 0.05), while the maximum temperature in the bulb region decreased (P = 0.017) post-trimming. For medial claws, significant increases in different temperature levels were found in the toe white line, abaxial white line, sole bulb junction, axial groove and sole apex regions (P < 0.05). In comparison of pre and post-trimming temperature measurements in claw regions of lateral and medial claws there were no statistically significant differences in baseline measurements (P > 0.05), whereas significant increases in different temperature levels were found in sole bulb junction, bulb, axial groove and sole apex between lateral and medial claw temperatures (P < 0.05). No significant changes were detected in dermis regions of claws (P > 0.05). These findings provide valuable reference temperatures for claw health and underscore the potential of IRT.