Coe Aidan, Blackie Nicola
Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
Vet Sci. 2022 Aug 6;9(8):414. doi: 10.3390/vetsci9080414.
Lameness has a high economic cost to the U.K. dairy industry; accurate and early detection of lameness minimises this cost. Infrared thermal imaging (IRT) devices have shown promising results for use as a lameness detection aid in cattle when used in research settings; these devices are typically high-cost, limiting their adoption. This study analysed the effectiveness of low-cost IRT devices (LCDs) as lameness detection aids, by comparing both maximum environmentally adjusted temperature values and hindfeet temperature difference collected by an LCD to the mobility score of the cow; this test was repeated for data collected by a research-specification device. Data collection occurred during routine milking of 83 cattle; each cow's mobility was scored afterwards. Significant differences were found between lame and sound cows with the LCD, upon analysis of both methods. There was no significant difference between the data captured by differing devices. The maximum sensitivity and specificity values for the LCD were calculated as 66.95 and 64.53, respectively, compared with 70.34 and 70.94, respectively, for the research-specification device; optimum threshold values for these were equivalent for both devices, suggesting IRT lameness identification is not device-dependent. It was concluded that a minimal difference in effectiveness between tested devices suggests that LCDs could be used as a lameness detection aid; consequently, there is potential for widespread adoption as on-farm detection aids.
跛行给英国乳制品行业带来了高昂的经济成本;准确且早期地检测出跛行可将此成本降至最低。红外热成像(IRT)设备在研究环境中用于牛的跛行检测辅助时已显示出有前景的结果;这些设备通常成本高昂,限制了它们的应用。本研究通过比较低成本红外热成像设备(LCD)收集的最大环境调整温度值和后蹄温度差与奶牛的行动能力评分,分析了低成本红外热成像设备作为跛行检测辅助工具的有效性;对研究规格设备收集的数据也重复进行了此测试。数据收集在83头牛的常规挤奶过程中进行;之后对每头牛的行动能力进行评分。在对两种方法的分析中,发现使用LCD时,跛足奶牛和健康奶牛之间存在显著差异。不同设备捕获的数据之间没有显著差异。LCD的最大灵敏度和特异性值分别计算为66.95和64.53,而研究规格设备的分别为70.34和70.94;两者的最佳阈值相当,这表明红外热成像跛行识别不依赖于设备。得出的结论是,测试设备之间在有效性上的差异极小,这表明低成本红外热成像设备可用作跛行检测辅助工具;因此,作为农场检测辅助工具有广泛应用的潜力。