In this AHI newsletter, over the coming four months, we will discuss how, and why, cases of lameness occur in grazing cows. We will provide suggestions around improvements a farmer can make to reduce the number of lameness cases occurring in the herd.
Consider how cows are handled in yards, in the parlour and on roadways.
The most common conditions occurring during the grazing season causing lameness are sole bruising and white line damage. Both conditions occur because of trauma to the sole of the cow’s foot.
This trauma can be a single event such as a cow standing on a sharp stone on a concrete surface. The impact of the foot on the stone can cause a bruise on the sole or penetration of the white line leading onto white line damage and the risk of a white line access.
On the other hand, small traumas to the sole of the foot can, over time, damage the white line such that small stones or grit can penetrate gradually through the white line and reach the quick and cause an inflammatory reaction and resulting lameness.
Keeping the traumas and impact forces brought to bear on cows `feet to a low level, will help reduce the number of lameness cases that occur.
Cow behaviours to consider:
- Cows check the ground surface, place the front foot in a safe even place and the hind foot in the same place when given the time and space to do so.
- Cows walk with their heads in a low position, checking the ground in front of them. If cows are packed too tightly, their heads are up on the backs of the cows in front of them and they are not able to check the ground and choose a safe place for foot placement.
- Cows have a walking order on the roadway, and this differs from their milking order. After entering the collecting yard, cows need time and space to rearrange themselves before entry to the parlour.
How can we minimize the traumas and impact forces that cows` feet experience?
Give cows:
- Time: Allow cows to walk at their own pace
- Space: Room in the yard and on the roadways
Dos and don’ts
- Don’t push or rush cows on roadways with a dog or quad bike.
- Do allow cows exit the parlour and walk directly to next paddock.
- Don’t hold cows in yard any longer than necessary
- Do consider using a Batt Latch (a remote-controlled gap opening device), that allows the cows exit the paddock and walk to parlour at their own pace, with only a small number of cows requiring to be moved by the farmer.