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Ger Cusack
XLVets Ireland
Tom Ryan
Teagasc
The incidence of lameness caused
by white line disease is affected by
the design and condition of farm
roadways and cow tracks, together
with the manner in which cows are
moved from field to parlour.
Tom Ryan of Teagasc, (Ireland's Agriculture
and Food Authority) and XLVets' Ger Cusack
of Comeragh Veterinary Practice in Ireland,
had some practical advice for farmers.
Good cow flow
Ger, using studies of cow behaviour carried
out by New Zealand lameness specialist
Dr Neil Chesterton, gave an overview of cow
flow and how the 'pecking order' in herds
affects walking speed.
‘Cows are large heavy animals so they move
slowly,’ said Ger. ‘They prefer to walk on flat
surfaces - and they walk with their head
down, checking the surface ahead of them.
They select the spot where they want to place
a front foot, and then the hind foot will be
placed in the same spot.
‘So cows need to be allowed to move slowly.
They like plenty of space, so they can select
where they place each of their front feet.
They don't like tight corners or steep slopes.
‘And they certainly don't like to be pushed to
walk faster, because this means they don't
have time to look where they put their feet,
and can end up stepping on sharp stones.
This is when lameness problems can arise as
a result of white line disease.’
Avoiding lameness
through
attention to farm roadways
and an understanding of
cow behaviour
Veterinary surgeon
Ger Cusack
XLVets practice
Comeragh Veterinary
Practice, Ireland
A cows's hoof has two main areas; the
wall which forms the visible outer part of
the claw and bears most of the weight,
and the sole which is the undersurface of
the claw.
There is a fibrous join between the sole
and wall and this is called the 'white line';
this is the weakest area of the hoof. In
white line disease, this fibrous junction
becomes damaged and the sole
separates from the wall, allowing foreign
materials to penetrate. This can lead to
infection and abscesses.
White line disease is a major cause of
lameness, especially of older cows.
Incidence can be greatly reduced by
ensuring that cows are not forced to
move rapidly, or twist on their hooves.
Maintaining non-abrasive walking
surfaces is also essential.
Mild cases can be resolved by a skilled
hoof trimmer, more serious cases require
veterinary intervention.
What is white line disease?
XLVETS CONFERENCE
SPRING 2014 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
10