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F A R M S K I L L S
With some herds having lameness rates of
40-50%, this can mean a massive drain on
resources as a lame cow increases her
chances of being culled six-fold. Since
chronically lame cows cannot reliably be
transported, many farm clients of XLVets are
now reviewing their strategy for tackling the
lameness issue and we are seeing a dramatic
rise in the number of cows being treated.
The bulk of lameness disease costs are in the
reduced chance of conception and greater
number of days open. Lameness can reduce
conception rate by greater than 25% and
increase the risk of ovarian follicular cysts by
2.5 times. Current figures on the DairyCo
website suggest that the average cost of an
incidence of lameness could amount to £180
equating to a financial loss of £15,000 for an
average-sized herd, put another way, that’s well
over 1p per litre of milk produced on farm.
Treating lame cows is one of the most
demanding health issues to be approached
on farm, as it is expensive on both time and
physical effort. It is therefore very important
that efforts are maximised to best effect.
Vets often find the best way to investigate
the causes of lameness is via a holistic
approach that includes a herd locomotion
score to gauge the severity and extent of
the problem.
Regular foot trimming along with an
understanding of the types of lameness,
however, can help. All cows should be
hoof-trimmed at least once or ideally twice in
lactation, even if they are sound. This, along
with a structured approach to tackle
underlying causes on farm such as cow
tracks and building design can help to avoid
cases increasing in severity and persistently
reoccurring in the future.
Dairy cow
lameness and
foot trimming
WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
23
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
Cattle lameness is part of the triad of problems that contribute to
disease on farm, and along with mastitis and infertility it can be a
serious problem incurring mounting costs, reduced production
and fertility problems.
The DairyCo Healthy Feet Programme
(DHFP)
aims to help dairy farmers
reduce the number of lame cows on
their farms by identifying and applying
the right management techniques.
Their website www.dairyco.org.uk has a
wide range of practical information on
their step-wise approach which helps
farmers make important progress towards
diagnosing the problems, devising an
action plan, and developing the skills
necessary for long-term lameness control.
XLVets currently has 30 trained mentors
(vets who have completed specialist
training) operating across the country.
These vets facilitate the whole process and
act as one-to-one advisers, or 'mobility
mentors' on farm, with resources and
information provided by DairyCo to aid
with understanding and actions.
The approach is based around the 'four
success factors' of;
l
Low infection pressure
l
Good horn quality and hoof shape
l
Low forces on the feet - good cow
comfort and cow flow
l
Early detection and prompt, effective
treatment of lame cows
For further information on having
a DairyCo Healthy Feet Programme
carried out on your herd, contact
your local XLVets practice or visit the
DairyCo website.