Efficient hoof mgmt

It’s a well known fact that if an animal is unwell or sore, she will not only reduce her food intake, production level and milk quality in order to deal with pain or infection, but she will display certain behavioural and physiological characteristics that will also make her appear ill. Animals can’t tell us how they feel or if they are unwell, but they do give us plenty of signs or signals we can use to assess if all is well. Healthy hooves are an essential aspect of your dairy cow’s daily requirements and are absolutely essential for their comfort and high productivity. Dairy cows are expected to give high yields of milk. In order to synthesise milk, eating, drinking and rumination (particularly when lying down) are the most important things they need to be able to do. A cow must therefore be able to comfortably access feed and water, and to lie down and stand up again – all very difficult with sore or damaged feet.

Cows’ hooves can’t remain healthy by themselves; every livestock manager has to dedicate some time towards promoting healthy hooves. A good manager includes this in his/her daily schedule, striving to prevent problems rather than continually treating lame cows.

Increasing costs and reducing profit margins inevitably put pressure on the dairy industry. One response is to increase herd size, but this can place pressure upon the existing facilities and cows, a common outcome being an increased incidence of lameness.

Which would you rather see on your farm?