The Effect of Lameness on Milk Production of Dairy Goats

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Lameness on dairy goat farms is a welfare concern and could negatively affect milk production. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of clinical lameness on dairy goat milk production from three commercial goat farms in New Zealand. Goats that were severely lame (walking on three legs) produced between 7.05 and 8.67% less milk than goats that were not lame. When the prevalence of severe lameness was between 5 and 20% of the herd, the estimated average daily milk income lost was between NZD 19.5 and 104 per day. This study established the negative impact of lameness on milk production and the loss of annual income from lame dairy goats on three commercial farms. ABSTRACT: Lameness on dairy goat farms is a welfare concern and could negatively affect milk production. This study’s objective was to evaluate the effects of clinical lameness on the daily milk production of dairy goats. Between July 2019 and June 2020, 11,847 test-day records were collected from 3145 goats on three farms in New Zealand. Locomotion scoring of goats used a five-point scoring system (0 to 4). The dataset was split into two groups by lactation type, where goats were classified as being in seasonal lactation (≤305 days in milk) or extended lactation (>305 days in milk). A linear mixed model was used to analyze datasets using milk characteristics as the dependent variables. Severely lame goats (score 4) in seasonal and extended lactation produced 7.05% and 8.67% less milk than goats not lame, respectively. When the prevalence of severe lameness is between 5 and 20% of the herd, the estimated average daily milk income lost was between NZD 19.5 and 104 per day. This study established the negative impact of lameness on milk production and annual income in dairy goats on three farms.