Winter housing can be a high-risk period for lameness in cattle, so now is the best time to review your lameness plans and treat any lame animals before housing your cattle this winter. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent lameness in your herd:
Review your treatment protocol – when faced with a lame cow, you need a clear treatment protocol in place. Most farmers generally trim and apply a block to lame cattle. Whereas it may be beneficial to review this and consider including an anti-inflammatory treatment at the same time – studies have shown that combination treatments help reduce the period of time an animal is lame. Consult your vet for further information.
Foot bathing – is an essential tool in lameness control, whenever infection such as Digital Dermatitis occurs. The most important factor to review is whether or not your foot bath is fit for purpose. The base of the footbath should not be slippery or uncomfortable and should be at least 3m long, ensuring the cows can comfortably walk through with two strides.
Foot trimming – regularly trim your cows feet to maintain their foot balance and manage horn growth. Early treatment of lame cows (within 48 hours), can help reduce lameness in the herd. Therapeutic trimming can help cows recover from lameness, but it depends on several factors, including the severity, whether the cow is bandaged, and whether pain relief is administered.
Regular mobility scoring – accurate and regular mobility scoring is an important part of any herd lameness plan. Cattle are scored from 0 (good mobility) to 3 (severely impaired mobility), identifying score 3 cows is easily done. However score 2 animals are more difficult to spot and require immediate attention. Consider training one person on the farm to score and record scores for monitoring purposes.
Cow flow – prolonged standing on concrete can contribute to lameness in your herd. Consider how your cattle currently flow around the farm, and identify any hotspots of where animals may be stood on concrete for prolonged periods. For instance automatic gate openers can allow cows to walk to the parlor on their own without standing on concrete.
Herdwatch makes it easy for farmers to stay on top of cattle mobility and hoof care. By using the Herdwatch app, you can effortlessly record and track mobility scores and hoof treatments right from your phone. This helps you identify and monitor cows with mobility issues, ensuring early intervention and reducing the risk of lameness. With all the data at your fingertips, you can easily share information with your vet or hoof trimmer, allowing for more informed decisions and better care for your herd.