No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Digital dermatitis (DD), an infectious skin disease of cattle, is considered an important cause of lameness in dairy herds due to the resulting pain, discomfort and impaired performance (Read and Walker, 1998). DD has been associated with reduced fertility and a shorter lifespan (LS) as well as a decrease in milk production and generally reduces the overall wellbeing of the cows. As part of the UK type classification scheme, field officers record whether or not cows exhibit signs of DD during routine type evaluation. The aim of this study was to estimate the heritability of DD and genetic associations between DD, type traits related to feet and legs, with fitness-related traits and production.