You can download ICAR Claw Health Atlas by ICAR Working Group on Functional Traits (ICAR WGFT) and International Claw Health Experts free in pdf format.
About Book
Awareness of the importance of a properly functioning locomotor system to bovine health and welfare has increased around the world. Several countries have recently introduced electronic systems to routinely record foot and claw disorders in dairy cattle and many more countries are developing plans or have committed to begin recording in the near future. This motivated the ICAR working group for functional traits to prioritize foot and claw health and to work with internationally recognized claw experts to develop best practices for data recording. This collaboration is intended to complement existing research on specific aspects of the claws and feet of dairy cattle, focusing solely on the standardization and harmonization of data recording. The harmonized descriptions are the result of fruitful interdisciplinary collaboration among many experts with varying backgrounds (claw health experts, hoof trimmers, bovine practitioners, geneticists), ensuring comprehensive coverage of theoretical and applied needs. It is designed to provide a tool for practitioners and hoof trimmers and presents guidelines for the recording of important conditions affecting the claw health of cattle. Descriptive trait definitions are used to ensure that accurate classifications are made, which will support the collection of comparable and high-quality data within and across countries to support many activities (e.g., genetic evaluation purposes). The authors and contributors to the ICAR Claw Health Atlas hope that the compiled material will support the improved recording of foot and claw disorders and provide a valuable tool for improving the health and welfare of dairy cattle.