Fischer, Daniela
[Author];
Friebel, Luise I. G.
[Author];
Grund, Sarah
[Author];
Winter, William
[Author];
Wagner, Franziska C.
[Author];
Mülling, Christoph K. W.
[Author]
Gait Analysis in Walking and Trotting Dairy Cows on Different Flooring Types with Novel Mobile Pressure Sensors and Inertial Sensors
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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Gait Analysis in Walking and Trotting Dairy Cows on Different Flooring Types with Novel Mobile Pressure Sensors and Inertial Sensors
Contributor:
Fischer, Daniela
[Author];
Friebel, Luise I. G.
[Author];
Grund, Sarah
[Author];
Winter, William
[Author];
Wagner, Franziska C.
[Author];
Mülling, Christoph K. W.
[Author]
Description:
Mechanical overburdening is a major risk factor that provokes non-infectious claw diseases.Moreover, lameness-causing lesions often remain undetected and untreated. Therefore, preventionof claw tissue overburdening is of interest, especially by analyzing harmful effects within dairy cows’housing environment. However, objective “on-cow” methods for bovine gait analysis are underdevel-oped. The purpose of the study was to apply an innovative mobile pressure sensor system attachedat the claws to perform pedobarometric gait analysis. A further goal was the supplementation withaccelerative data, generated simultaneously by use of two inertial measurement units (IMUs), attachedat metatarsal level. IMU data were analyzed with an automatic step detection algorithm. Gait analysiswas performed in ten dairy cows, walking and trotting on concrete flooring and rubber mats. In additionto the basic applicability of the sensor systems and with the aid of the automatic step detection algorithmfor gait analysis in cows, we were able to determine the impact of the gait and flooring type on kinematicand kinetic parameters. For pressure sensor output, concrete was associated with significantly (p < 0.001)higher maximum and average pressure values and a significantly smaller contact area, compared torubber mats. In contrast to walking, trotting led to a significantly higher force, especially under themedial claw. Further, IMU-derived parameters were significantly influenced by the gait. The describedsensor systems are useful tools for detailed gait analysis in dairy cows. They allow the investigation of actors which may affect claw health negatively.