Cow and Heifer Management

Posted in: Cow and Heifer Management
Key Elements for Managing Hoof Health
By Karl Burgi - Hoof Health Consultant, Dairyland Hoof Care Institute, Inc.
Feb 22, 2009 - 5:00:21 PM

Dairy cattle lameness is a growing problem on today’s modern dairy farms, costing producers thousands of dollars in lost profits each year. Not only are many cows culled due to lameness, lameness is also a contributing factor in cows with poor reproduction and low milk production.

When striving to reduce lameness levels, several aspects of dairy management must be scrutinized. Operation practices such as cow comfort, stocking density, flooring surface, facility design, hygiene, footbath usage and transition protocol should be carefully planned and managed. Proper nutrition and good feed management is also extremely important since poor rations, slug feeding grain, sorting, particle size and quality are all factors that predispose an animal to acidosis and impact hoof integrity.

Furthermore, maintenance or routine hoof trimming should be performed on a scheduled basis. The goal of functional hoof trimming is to correct claw length, angle and balance while leaving enough horn to protect the inner structures of the hoof. Research has shown that by implementing a strict hoof health program, losses due to lameness can be reduced drastically. Keep in mind these important factors in any hoof health program.

• Hire a hoof trimmer or person to perform hoof trimming that can commit the time needed for your dairy. This person needs the knowledge and expertise to perform hoof trimming and must achieve results.
• Implement a hoof maintenance schedule that guarantees the results needed to reduce lameness in your dairy operation.
• The optimum time to perform maintenance trimming is three to six weeks prior to calving and at 110 days in milk. Cows with extended lactations should be trimmed every four to five months thereafter. 
• Chronic or high maintenance cows should be trimmed every 60-80 days to break the vicious cycle of lameness.
• In an environment with a high degree of hoof wear, claws need to be rebalanced to reduce the wear on the medial claw heels.
• Introduce springing heifers to the dry cow group two months prior to calving so they learn how to socially interact with mature cows.
• If heifers are raised on a yielding surface, introduce them to concrete (a non-yielding surface) four to six weeks before entering the transition group.
• Trim all springing heifers three to six weeks prior to calving to prepare them for this major life change.
• Keep hoof health records.