HERD HEALTH

With lameness costing an estimated $380 to $825 per cow, hoof health cannot be overstated. Treatment costs, decreased fertility, loss of milk yield, decreased longevity in the herd as well as labour costs are all contributing factors.

With a hoof care career that has spanned over 40 years, you could say I have seen a thing or two when it comes to hoof health products. This is especially true in the last 20 years as foot hygiene has become a critical success factor for many dairy operations.

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.