During late autumn/winter in the years of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 a questionnaire study was made in Västra Götaland county in the south west of Sweden. Inspectors responsible of animal welfare answered the questionnaires during their routine visits to different horse stables in the county. The questionnaires contained questions about the number of horses at the farm, Hoof condition, body condition, how often the horses were fed outside and the pasture condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate if a connection could be seen between environmental factors and health factors within the horses in this material. The connections that were analysed were between; Hoof health and pasture condition, how many times the horses were fed outside and the body condition and between the number of horses in the pasture and pasture condition.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cow-level association between acute Hoof lesions and the somatic milk cell count in dairy cattle. Cows from three loose-housed Swedish dairy herds were enrolled in the study if they had an acute Hoof lesion treated by a veterinarian or professional Hoof trimmer during the preceding year, according to farmer records. Studied lesions were sole ulcer, dermatitis, interdigital necrobacillosis and Hoof abscess, in each case causing lameness. For each Hoof-diseased cow, 0 to 3 healthy cows were included, matched with respect to herd, breed, parity and lactation stage. Cell counts were obtained from monthly test recordings from one month before to three months after the Hoof-lesion diagnosis, and log-transformed.

Changing of the Hoof angle is a common method for the treatment of many lameness-related conditions (Moyer 1980; Stashak 2002). Various studies in the literature have indicated different results of the effect of changing the Hoof angle on the movement of the distal limb. Our study investigated the effect of raising the heel of the forelimbs by 10,7 mm on the movement of the distal limb. Horses trotted on a treadmill at several predetermined speeds. The kinematics of the distal limb was determined and variables including the extension of the fetlock joint were determined.

Lameness localized to the Hoof is a common problem in horses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic tool is becoming more common and is well suited for examination of the distal limb and the Hoof capsule. Today there are two different methods of MRI where in one the horse is under general anesthesia and in the other the horse is standing and only sedated. In this study we have compared the visualization of the distal interphalangeal joint using these two methods in two different groups of horses with unknown clinical problems referred to two different equine hospitals. The width of the joint structures including thickness of joint cartilage and joint fluid and also the width of the dorsal pouch of the distal interphalangeal joint were measured.

The equine Hoof is often manipulated in purpose to achieve a better stride or to reduce the weight on damaged tissue. The living tissue in the Hoof can?t store energy as glycogen and is therefore depending on a continuous supply of glucose for its energy production. The purpose of the study was to determine if wedging (i.e. elevating) the heel could influence the hooves glucose and lactate consumption/production. Five standardbred horses were trained to trot on a treadmill without getting physical or mentally tired.

60 million years ago the horse was the size of a small dog, and walked on four toes. Today it can weigh up to 500-1000 kg and has evolved to walking on only one phalanx. The anatomy of the horses? legs and hooves allow them to run at high speeds, and at the same time enables them to bear the extremely high concussions applied to the foot at high speeds or jumps. Every horse owner has his or her own opinion on how to manage their horses? hooves, and whether the horse should be shod or unshod. The knowledge, commitment and attention of the owner determine the quality of the Hoof care, but also the time between the arising of symptoms of abnormalities of the Hoof until care is sought with a farrier or veterinarian. New laws will be applied at the beginning of 2015 which bring on changes in authorization for farriers.

The Effects of dietary biotin supplementation on Hoof health in Swedish dairy cows - a controlled cohort field study. The aim of the present degree project was to investigate the effects of biotin supplementation on Hoof health in dairy cows. The experiment was performed as a controlled cohort study in three commercial farms in western Sweden from January 2002 to October 2002. The cows were all housed in cubicle systems with transponder concentrate feeding systems. Within each farm the cows were allocated to either biotin or control treatment. The biotin groups received 20 mg of biotin per cow and day, starting 14 days before expected calving.

Laminitis is a common but devastating condition, and affected horses are often euthanized or influenced a very long time. Many horses never return to their original capacity. Laminitis is often associated with severe pain and a long time of convalescence. Symthoms includes lameness, Hoof hyperthermia, strenghthened digital pulse and pain. The horse often tries to move the body weight away from the forelegs which are often more severly affected than the hindlimbs.

This study is based on an earlier interdisciplinary study made by Redbo et al., (2000), Extensive cattle production systems ? out wintering, which lasted over two winters, 97/98 and 98/99, with two groups of heifers indoors and two groups of heifers outdoors raised in different environments, indoors or outdoors during their second winter. Both indoor and outdoor heifer groups were fed grass silage ad libitum throughout the experimental period that lasted from October until May. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long term effects of being raised in these two environments. This study includes data collected during the period lasting from the start of the experiment of Redbo et al., (2000) until the heifers had calved a second time and the results mainly deal with the performance of the animals after the experiment during their first two calvings and their first lactation.

The aim with the literature study is to inform about the risks that exists in large dairy farms(with focus on mastitis and Hoof health) and to inform about the milk industry in Sweden.Personal comments from two study visits (Nötcenter Viken and Vadsbo Mjölk AB) arelinked together with the literature and forms into a discussion regarding sustainableagriculture versus the milk cow's welfare.The profitability for Sweden's milk farmers have decreased because of the decreased milkprice and current inflation. This leads to an increase in herdsize in order to make a profit.The milk cow herds in Sweden becomes fewer year by year and the herdsize increases. Theincreased herdsize can cause a decrease in the time the farmer spends per animal. This canaffect early disease detection and prolong the animals suffering.Swedish Board of Agriculture published (2008) statistics showing that today's milk cow ismedicated primarily because of two reasons; mastitis or Hoof problems. Mastitis is thereason to two thirds of all treatments that are carried out.

The aim with the literature study is to inform about the risks that exists in large dairy farms(with focus on mastitis and Hoof health) and to inform about the milk industry in Sweden.Personal comments from two study visits (Nötcenter Viken and Vadsbo Mjölk AB) arelinked together with the literature and forms into a discussion regarding sustainableagriculture versus the milk cow's welfare.The profitability for Sweden's milk farmers have decreased because of the decreased milkprice and current inflation. This leads to an increase in herdsize in order to make a profit.The milk cow herds in Sweden becomes fewer year by year and the herdsize increases. Theincreased herdsize can cause a decrease in the time the farmer spends per animal. This canaffect early disease detection and prolong the animals suffering.Swedish Board of Agriculture published (2008) statistics showing that today's milk cow ismedicated primarily because of two reasons; mastitis or Hoof problems. Mastitis is thereason to two thirds of all treatments that are carried out.

3In the last couple of decades there has not happened much inthe ?farriery?- department. The work procedure, methods andfarrier´s tools have stayed the same over time, which have ledto a huge workload that is wearing the active participants out.So think if you were able to ease the working process of horseshoeingfor a farrier. The farriery is still first and foremost aprofession based on handicraft that has to relay on the farrier´sgood memory, sight and sense. The workplaces for a farrieris most of the time at the hiring horse owner`s stables, whichmakes it harder for the farrier´s to have influence over theirworking situation.

Laminitis has crippled horses through times and many cures have been used to treat it. Since the mechanism of the disease is yet not fully understood, treatments are only ways to alleviate the pain and at best, slow down the pathological process enough to make time for improvement. This paper is a retrospective study of 71 horses treated by a protocol at Hästsjukhuset Strömsholm. The protocol implies three visits at zero, five and fifteen weeks. At each the horse is evaluated and treated by a veterinarian.

The Swedish dairy production today consists of big farms and different housing systems are in use. These systems put demands on the cows? ability to cope with the environment and one challenge is the claw health in the herds. Some claw lesions that are frequently observed are foot rot, hemorrhages, digital dermatitis and sole ulcers, which can be caused by, for example, the claws? environment and the flooring type used.

Metabolic diseases in dairy cows are considered to increase the risk for claw lesions, most of all laminitis, sole haemorrhages and sole ulcers, but also to increase the risk for environmental claw lesions. The aim of this study was to compare claw health in 27 Swedish dairy farms, 18 with high incidence of metabolic diseases and 9 with low incidence. Data on claw health status was retrieved from recordings at routine claw trimmings and analysed on herd level regarding the prevalence of: any lesion, interdigital dermatitis, heel-horn erosion, sole haemorrhages, sole ulcer, lameness, abnormal claw shape, and other diseases (abscess in the white line, limb disorders, double sole, laminitic groove, white line disease, interdigital phlegmon, interdigital hyperplasia, toe abscess and verucose dermatitis). Mean prevalence of any lesion for herds with low incidence of metabolic diseases was 48 % and in herds with high incidence 41 %, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups. Mean prevalence for interdigital dermatitis was 2,0 % and 6.4 % in the low and high incidence groups, respectively (p.