As we head into the dry period and a well-deserved break for the cows (and hopefully for you too!), we want to take this time to rest as a chance in providing the best recovery for cows into the season ahead.

Aside from udder recovery and condition gain, the claws also get time to recover from challenges like walking long distances, hard surfaces, uneven ground, and pressure. During this rest period, the hoof sole and wall will continue growing. So, if we imagine a scenario where the current wall and/or sole are growing ‘skewwhiff’ or uneven, this will continue during the dry period too.

During calving, alongside the softening of the tissues around the birth canal, the tissues around the feet also soften. The softened tissues stay in place for at least 10-14 days until the cow is recovered. At the same time, pressure on the claws will start up again with the aforementioned factors e.g., walking distances, time in the yard during milking etc.  So, when the foot is already compromised due to uneven horn and sole growth, all these factors predispose a cow to lameness.

Weather factors can exacerbate this too – a softening track will in time soften the feet and make them more prone to injury. So, you might think that rain is the cause of lameness, when most often it’s merely the final straw!

Okay, I get all that, but what can I do about that?

A hoof trimmer can help to reset the shape of the claw in a way that best supports the cows’ weight and frame. This will entail removing excess horn and sole tissue and shaping the claw to transfer weight to the areas that are supposed to take it and address any existing issues. According to the data provided by hoof trimmers, on average 25-30% per herd will have overgrown claws, so getting them sorted prior to or during the dry period will help to reduce the prevalence of lameness in your herd.  Plus, a cow that has been lame is more likely to get lame again – so using the dry period clean-up is important in helping these cows too.

On a separate note, if you’re intending to make the most of an unused track by doing track maintenance, then the following factors are important to keep in mind:

• Surface material: the clay content can make a difference regarding the track softening and washing away during times of rainfall (which is hard to imagine at the moment!). The clay content should be no more than 15-30%.
• The surface also needs to be compacted well to prevent bruising.
• Camber: cows don’t like to walk on surfaces with a steep angle. Anything over 10% will keep cows away from any steep areas which will lead to a track width reduction (less of the track is used) and potentially higher cow pressure. The ideal camber is 3-5%.
• Base layer: same clay content as a surface layer – well compacted and flat.
• Drainage: built up grass and mud can prevent water from flowing off the track and cause damage to the tracks. So, if this is the case on your farm, create drainage gaps to prolong the lifespan of the track.

If you’d like more information on track maintenance, lameness in general, or cow flow, then talk to one of our accredited healthy hoof advisors at Anexa.  You can also book in Ed, our accredited hoof trimmer, by calling your nearest Anexa clinic.