Farm TV Interview with Riaan van Zyl from DairySmid Hoof Trimming
Interview by Farm TV with Riaan van Zyl, co-owner of DairySmid Hoof Trimming about the importance of preventative Trimming and the treatment thereof.
Interview by Farm TV with Riaan van Zyl, co-owner of DairySmid Hoof Trimming about the importance of preventative Trimming and the treatment thereof.
Hoof health is essential for a beef or dairy cattle herd to perform optimally, and nutrition and good hoof care should form part of any animal health programme.
Hoefversorging is ʼn wye onderwerp. Mankheid by beeste kan in verskeie kategorieë ingedeel word en vereis ook verskillende benaderings en vorms van behandeling.
In die ewig veranderende wêreld waarin ons lewe, is ’n goeie, gesonde verhouding tussen die veearts en die hoefsmid belangrik om te verseker dat die boer op die voorpunt bly.
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.
During winter time, in the summer rainfall areas of South Africa, we observe a higher incidence of bacterial-related lameness in dairy cows. The two major diseases in this category are digital dermatitis and interdigital dermatitis.
In the first few articles of this series, I explained how hard and non-yielding surfaces cause lameness in cows and why we see more mechanical lameness in dairy cows than in beef cows. Although standing on concrete is known to be the single most important risk factor for mechanical lameness, as it is for sole…
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.
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.