Basics Of Hoof Health Management In Cattle

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. Pieter Dempsey spoke to animal health experts Gert van Zyl, Dr Klaas-Jan Leeuw and Dr Magdaleen Wepener about common problems faced in hoof health.

- Gert van Zyl, Dr Klaas-Jan Leeuw and Dr Magdaleen Wepener

FAST FACTS

Poor hoof health can be caused by overgrown hooves, lesions on the hooves, or laminitis.

Prevention of problems is achieved by ensuring that hoof trimming is done in time and that proper nutrition is in place.

Compromised hoof health results in cattle battling to stand up and walking with difficulty.

Maintaining hoof health in a cattle herd is very important. Gert van Zyl, director at Dairysmid Hoof Trimming, a cattle hoof trimming company, says there are two things to look for when identifying hoof health: length and balance.

He adds that hooves grow at a rate of approximately 5mm/month, with the toe horn being harder than the heal. Therefore, the toe will wear down slower than the heel, causing imbalance.

“This could be because of the field conditions where the cattle are kept and the nutrition the animals receive. The growth-to-wear ratio is implicated, and intervention is necessary,” he says.

Moreover, he says that a lack of balance is one of the main causes of lameness, especially if the animals walk excessively and stand for long periods on hard surfaces. “The front legs are connected to the skeleton by means of muscles and ligaments, while the hind legs are part of the skeleton, with very little suspension. Lameness is mainly experienced in the hind legs because of the weaker suspension.”

MOVEMENT SCORING

A locomotion scoring of lameness (from normal to severe) is used in the dairy industry, and focuses on the posture of the cow. A score of 1 means the cow is healthy, with a flat/straight back posture when standing and walking. A score of 5 means the cow is unhealthy in terms of hoof health, with pronounced arching of the back when standing and walking.