Hoof Health in the Parmigiano Reggiano Dairy Production System: A Pilot Epidemiological Study Using Digitally Recorded Hoof-Trimming Data

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and distribution of claw lesions in dairy cows from farms producing milk for Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and to evaluate factors associated with their occurrence. Data were collected during hoof-trimming visits performed by four professional hoof trimmers on 25 farms between March 2023 and October 2024 using a specifically developed digital recording application. 4410 visits from 3066 cows were included. At least one lesion was recorded in 53.5% of visits and 44.3% of cows. Sole ulcer was the most common lesion (23.8% of visits), followed by sole haemorrhage (19.3%), wall abscess (18.1%), dermatitis (16.4%), and wall lesions (10.3%). Mechanically related lesions mainly involved the lateral claws of the hind limbs. Parity was strongly associated with lesion occurrence: compared with first-parity cows, odds increased at parity 2 (OR 1.41), parity 3 (OR 2.52), and parity ≥4 (OR 3.14). Because parity and age were highly correlated (r = 0.94), this association should be interpreted as a combined parity/age effect, and their independent effects could not be distinguished. Lactation stage showed weaker associations, and seasonal and farm-level differences were observed. Overall, non-infectious lesions predominated. The marked variation among farms suggests that herd-level factors contribute to claw health. Linking these digitally recorded hoof-trimming data with national breeding and production databases may support large-scale surveillance and future epidemiological and genetic investigations.