Apparent prevalence and risk factors for udder skin diseases and udder edema in Bavarian dairy herds

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for teat warts, udder edema, udder thigh dermatitis, and udder cleft dermatitis on Bavarian dairy farms. Udder health and hygiene scores of lactating cows were recorded on 152 farms in Bavaria, Germany. Management practices (e.g., housing, milking systems, and feeding regimens) were assessed with a comprehensive questionnaire. Adjusted prevalence estimates were determined using regression analysis with herd as the random effect. Mann-Whitney U or Fisher's exact on herd level and regression analyses on cow level were performed to determine risk factors. Of the 6,208 cows examined, 4.0% had teat warts, 1.1% udder edema, 0.2% udder thigh dermatitis, and 0.3% udder cleft dermatitis. The apparent median within-herd prevalence was less than 4% for all 4 diseases. Herd-level factors that were associated with the presence of teat warts on a farm were the proportion of cows with poor teat ends as well as conventional milking systems compared with milking robots. At a cow level, teat warts were associated with high somatic cell counts. Herds with poor depth (<5 cm) of bedding material and cows with days in milk less than 60 d had increased odds for udder edema. First-lactating cows had higher odds for udder thigh dermatitis. Freestall housing and comfort rubber mats were identified as risk factors for udder cleft dermatitis on a herd level. In conclusion, although most nonmastitis udder diseases were rarely observed in this study, some herd management practices and cow factors were associated with their presence on a farm or cow level. Future studies are needed to further investigate risk factors for each disease in more detail.