Bovine Hoof/Claw Maintenance

Hoof/Claw problems account for roughly ninety percent of the occurrence of lameness in dairy cattle. These disorders can be directly attributed to health, comfort, and environment. The best way to prevent lameness in your dairy cow herd is to be proactive in hoof/claw maintenance. When we spot lameness in our cows, we are usually 2 months too late in our prevention. Typically, dairy cows do not come up lame suddenly; they usually have a condition which takes several weeks to show up as lameness. An injury such as an abscess can go undetected in the normal course of your dairy operation until the cow goes down. To prevent lameness from occurring we need to implement a hoof maintenance program; and if any abnormalities are found during trimming, your dairy cow should be immediately blocked up off of the affected hoof.

The purpose of maintenance hoof trimming is to eliminate lameness in your dairy herd by preventing disease from beginning. Regular hoof maintenance will also aid in discovering existing problems before they get out of hand, i.e. laminitis, abscesses, hairy hoof wart, digital dermatitis, and white line disease. Maintenance trimming corrects the toe length and toe angle of the claw. This keeps a steady balance and weight distribution between the claws ensuring a comfortable stance for your dairy cow while she is in production. Remember, a healthy comfortable dairy cow is a superior producer.