Livestock Management RANCHING
known as infectious pododermatitis, it is primarily caused by the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum, along with others commonly found in soil and animal manure. It’s an infection in the soft tissue between the toes
that usually gets started from mild, abrasive injury, such as from the animal walking in corn stalks. If not addressed early, it can spread to the joint and become diffi cult to reverse. Toe abscesses are also typically caused by contact
For proper structure, both toes of each of the animal’s hooves should be even in shape. There should be a little bit of an angle to the fetlock and pastern area. The knee or hock should be in line with the shoulder in the front and in line with the back edge of the rump in the back.
Care in moving With these new parameters in mind, Ellis wants to
increase awareness of cattle mobility in the feedyard, at the packing plant and in the modes of transportation between these segments. Be very careful when moving cattle, he says. From
the time they leave the feedyard and are moved to the packing plant, “Everybody needs to understand that we have these very delicate, very expensive animals that may be a little more sensitive than they were 20 years ago,” he says.
Injury and infection The affl ictions affecting the feet and legs of cattle
can be divided into injuries and infections. Ellis notes that an injury is not always readily apparent, and sometimes by the time it’s noticed it has become seri- ous and hard to correct. Watch for abrasive injuries to the feet that can lead
to toe abscesses. He says, “If you can notice cattle get- ting sore, and treat those cattle earlier, you can prevent infection from ascending up the leg and getting into the soft tissue and joint.” It’s important to restrain the animal so the foot can
be thoroughly examined and the cause of the lameness diagnosed.
If it’s an infection, Ellis says, “Different
antibiotics work well for those conditions if caught early. You can sort those cattle into a drier environ- ment if they have foot rot to help alleviate the problem more quickly.” Foot rot is one of the most common lameness prob- lems a rancher will see in his or her herd. Formally
62 The Cattleman August 2014
with an abrasive surface, but they are the result of infection entering the toe itself and the treatment is different. “You need to trim the feet and try to get those abscesses to drain themselves,” Ellis advises. “If they have an avenue to drain out the bottom they’ll heal more quickly, instead of ascending up into the leg and soft tissue.” Foot rot and toe abscesses are not contagious, but
hairy heel warts are. Also called papillomatous digital dermatitis, its cause may be multifactorial. Ellis says it’s more frequently found in moist, wet conditions where cattle are confi ned. For a long time, the condition was associated with dairy cattle, but it is attracting more attention in the beef industry. The injury side of cattle lameness ranges from soft
tissue damage to ligament, tendon and joint problems. One potential cause is a foreign object, like a nail, pen- etrating into the sole of the animal’s foot. This can lead to infection. Another type of injury can be associated with the
hoof wall, such as when the animal gets a toe wedged into a small space. In the process of extricating itself, the animal may damage or lose part of the hoof wall. Ellis says faulty choice of injection sites can also
result in lameness. “You can cause problems just by putting a 2-cc injection too close to the shoulder joint, for example.” He says a simple sprain can be addressed through
management by sorting injured animals into a pen where they don’t have to move around to compete with pen mates for food.
Injuries can heal; bad conformation usually can’t be fi xed “Something caused by an injury can typically be
rehabilitated, depending on the cost of the animal,” notes Dr. Robert Wells, livestock consultant with The Samuel R. Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Okla. If a bull worth $4,000 to $5,000 is injured, then a veterinarian may consider applying a cast, splint or
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