HERD HEALTH

Nothing good can be built on a faulty foundation. On a cow, that foundation is its hooves. Therefore, it’s time to look at what the foundation is comprised of and how the foundation is built. We are still talking cows and hooves though, right?

A lame cow is a drag on the morale and fiscal economy of any dairy farm. Neither management nor employees are happy to see cows that shuffle about the dairy.

Maintenance trimming.

It’s a common term tossed around when it comes to hoof-trimming schedules, but what is it and what does it mean?

Lameness is one of the greatest challenges facing the dairy industry – approximately 25% of the dairy cows in Canada are lame. It is important that new cases of lameness are promptly identified, as treatment of chronically lame animals is often unsuccessful.

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a major cattle disease priority, and lameness is the top syndrome impacting cattle production and welfare, according to a recent Ruminant Health and Welfare grassroots survey.

Dairy farming sustainability is affected by many factors, with one of the biggest being high production efficiency. Maximizing your allowable high-quality milk shipments in a supply-managed system from the fewest number of healthy cows affects the farm’s economic sustainability.