DairySmid Hoof Trimming a proud Sponsor at The 6th Annual Production Sale of Ntaba Nyoni Cattle at Phala-Phala Auction House on the 4th of March 2023. Congratulations to Ben and Jessica with and excellent sale! Proud to be associated. The DairySmid Hoof Trimming team.
VASTRAP BORAN AUCTION 24 – once again delivered with an excellent sale of Boran at their auction on the 15th of August. Quentin and his team just keeps on raising the bar! Well done and a privilege to be part of your team!
There have been many myths and different opinions in the past regarding the subject of the bovine hoof. Part of the reason why it is such a frequently discussed topic, is that it is so difficult to work on the feet of cattle. Unlike horses, cattle cannot be trained to lift one foot while standing on the other three legs. In fact, it is extremely difficult for cattle to stand on three legs, which is why specialised equipment is needed.
In this series, we have explained in detail how correct functional trimming can prevent mechanical lameness. The previous article was devoted to the most common form of bacterial lameness in dairy operations, namely digital dermatitis (DD). This can be successfully treated by a professional hoof trimmer, but the emphasis must be on herd prevention.
The role that concrete plays in dairy cow lameness cannot be overemphasised. This is something that was explained in Part 2 of this series. To understand why dairy cows so often become lame in the hind feet, we need to study this aspect.
Seasonal Lameness. After the good rainy season we had this year, many grazing dairies experienced more lameness than usual. The types of lameness that we found in these situations were thin soles and toe ulcers.
Bacterial Lameness. These lesions are the result of bacterial infections. Examples of conditions causing bacterial lameness are foot rot and digital dermatitis. In general, it is easier to treat bacterial lameness than mechanical lameness.