Hemodynamics in the Normal and Laminitic Bovine Digit

Bovine laminitis is of great economic importance to the dairy and beef industry. Lameness from laminitis and its sequella results in loss of milk production, decreased weight gain, culling of animals and extra labor. Similar to horses, the digital pathology is thought to occur due to vascular derangements in the digital microvasculature leading to ischemia in the digital laminae. Digital hemodynamics in the horse have been well documented. Although most literature describing bovine laminitis is based on clinical cases or extrapolations from equine laminitis research, the bovid undergoes a different clinical course of disease, with a more mild chronic laminitis process being more common than the acute disease process routinely observed at the onset of equine laminitis. Therefore, hemodynamic data specific to the normal laminitic bovine foot is needed. The present study compared digital hemodynamics between normal and laminitic steers in early stages of laminitis.