1. Ask the hoof trimmer
I have a good producing cow that showed lameness this
morning. What would be the best time-frame to check her
out?
This is a great question! The first thought that came to mind
was that one word sticks out: ‘good’. A cow is only ‘good’ if
you can keep her on all four feet and walking. Otherwise,
before you know it, she moves from ‘good’ to ‘average’ and
eventually to ‘cull’. I would like to answer your question by
asking: “Would you wait to treat a cow with mastitis if you noticed it one morning?” Probably
not! The quicker you determine the cause of lameness and deal with it, the better the chances
of successful treatment. Make it easy to handle the cow by putting her in a hoof trimming
chute. Don’t try to treat feet in your parlour – it is so much harder on your back. To help
prevent lameness issues, make sure that all of your animals are trimmed at regular times, as
excessive horn growth can cause sole ulcers and other problems. If lameness problems persist,
ask your hoof trimmer or veterinarian for professional help. I hope you get your animal back on
her four feet soon!
Please forward your questions to: questions@allabouthooves.com
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