THE PREVALENCE OF ORTHOPEDIC DISEASES OF THE DISTAL EXTREMITIES IN CATTLE DEPENDING ON HOUSING CONDITIONS

The problems with the musculoskeletal system in the limb area in cattle are one of the main causes of economic losses in dairy production. These problems lead to a decrease in milk yields, weight loss, significant treatment costs, a high percentage of culling and a decrease in reproductive functions. In Russia hoof diseases occur in 14.4-80% of the livestock among dairy cows. The pur-pose of the study is to study the prevalence of distal limb diseases in dairy cows under tethered and untethered housing in some dairy farms of the Middle Volga region. Clinical and orthopedic medical examination was carried out among dairy cattle from 2016 to 2024, with different conditions of animal husbandry: tied – in Koshkinsky, Syzran districts, and loose – in Bezenchuk, Hvorosty-ansky, Stavropol districts of the Samara region, in the villages of Afanasovo and Kaenly of the Nizhnekamsk district of the Republic of Tatarstan. In total, 9893 animals aged 3 to 10 years, with an average live weight of 450-550 kg, underwent orthopedic cleaning and treatment; 2,267 were patients, which amounted to 22.91%, and 3,050 pathologies of the distal extremities were found in them. During the clinical and orthopedic examination of dairy cows in the period from 2016 to 2024, it was found that with loose housing, the number of sick animals is 4% less, and the number of orthopedic diseases is 17.34% lower than with tethered housing. This allows us to conclude that for the prevention of limb diseases, it is preferable to use unrestricted animal husbandry. The most common diseases of the distal region are myakish ulcer, Rustergoltz ulcer, purulent and aseptic pododermatitis, as well as hoof deformity. At the same time, with any method of keeping cows, the distal parts of the pelvic extremities are most often affected, both with tethered and untethered conditions.