Chalvatzi Sofia, Papadopoulos Georgios A, Kroustallas Fotios, Cernat Mihaela, Skampardonis Vassilis, Marouda Christina, Fotiadou Vasileia, Psychas Vasileios, Poutahidis Theofilos, Leontides Leonidas, Fortomaris Paschalis
Laboratory of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Economics of Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 43132 Karditsa, Greece.
Vet Sci. 2021 Aug 30;8(9):175. doi: 10.3390/vetsci8090175.
The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanical indices of hoof horn and their association with length measurements and lesion score. The feet of 185 culled sows from three Greek farms (A: 57 sows; B: 64 sows; C: 64 sows) were used. A slice from the dorsal wall of each claw was used to assess by a three-point bending test the Young's modulus, yield stress and aximum stress values. The available data from a companion study (part 1) on the length measurements and lesion scores of the claws were used to reveal possible relationships. The Young's modulus values were significantly higher ( < 0.001 or < 0.01 depending on location of claw) in the sows of farm C compared to those in sows of farms A and B and in sows of farm B compared to those in the sows of farm A. Yield and maximum stress values were significantly higher ( < 0.05 or < 0.001 depending on the location of the claw) in the sows of farm C compared to those in the sows of farm A and in the sows of farm B compared to those in the sows of farm A. An increase in heel-sole length decreased all mechanical indices. Young's modulus and yield stress were associated with wall lesion severity while maximum stress with wall and heel lesion severity. Overall, we conclude that mechanical efficiency deteriorates as length and lesion score increases.
本研究的目的是调查蹄角质的力学指标及其与长度测量值和病变评分的关联。使用了来自希腊三个农场的185头淘汰母猪的蹄（农场A：57头母猪；农场B：64头母猪；农场C：64头母猪）。从每个蹄爪的背壁切取一片，通过三点弯曲试验评估杨氏模量、屈服应力和最大应力值。利用一项关于蹄爪长度测量值和病变评分的配套研究（第1部分）中的可用数据来揭示可能的关系。与农场A和农场B的母猪相比，农场C的母猪的杨氏模量值显著更高（根据蹄爪位置，P<0.001或P<0.01），农场B的母猪的杨氏模量值高于农场A的母猪。与农场A的母猪相比，农场C的母猪的屈服应力和最大应力值显著更高（根据蹄爪位置，P<0.05或P<0.001），农场B的母猪的屈服应力和最大应力值高于农场A的母猪。蹄跟-蹄底长度增加会使所有力学指标降低。杨氏模量和屈服应力与蹄壁病变严重程度相关，而最大应力与蹄壁和蹄跟病变严重程度相关。总体而言，我们得出结论，随着长度和病变评分增加，力学效率会降低。
