Hoof diseases are a major issue in the dairy industry, affecting cow comfort, milk production, fertility, and overall farm profitability. Conditions like digital dermatitis, sole ulcers, and white line lesions lead to lameness, requiring costly treatment and management. This study aims to identify genetic factors influencing hoof health in North American Holstein cattle, providing insights to improve breeding strategies and disease prevention.
Researchers analyzed genetic data from 25,580 Holstein cows, focusing on eight common hoof conditions:
- Infectious diseases: Digital dermatitis, interdigital dermatitis, and heel horn erosion
- Non-infectious diseases: Sole ulcers, sole hemorrhages, white line lesions, interdigital hyperplasia, and toe ulcers
They also developed a hoof health index to assess overall hoof well-being. By performing a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using high-density genetic markers, scientists pinpointed 285 significant genetic markers linked to hoof health traits. These markers were distributed across multiple chromosomes, with some regions overlapping with genes previously associated with bone growth, metabolism, immune response, and skin integrity.
Key findings include:
- Hoof diseases have a genetic component, meaning selective breeding can improve hoof health over generations.
- The study confirms that hoof health traits are highly polygenic, meaning they are influenced by many small genetic variations rather than a single gene.
- Some genetic markers associated with hoof health also play roles in milk production, reproduction, and overall cow health, suggesting broader implications for breeding programs.
- Functional enrichment analyses identified 44 biological pathways related to immune response, tissue repair, and inflammation—key processes in hoof disease development.
These insights could help refine genetic selection tools, allowing dairy farmers to breed cows with stronger, healthier hooves, reducing lameness rates and improving sustainability in the dairy industry.
