UK Dairy Day


ly locomotion scoring or mobility scor- ing sessions with a ROMS accredited scorer to assess your current level of lameness and help pick out any cows for early treatment.” Wynnstay advises recording at least 10% of the herd on a monthly basis, near the exit of the robot, where they can be observed walking to a cubicle or feed fence. Results should be tracked to monitor problem cows and those who may be borderline. “Assessing in low pressure areas of the shed, such as loafi ng areas or wide passageways will allow you to assess cows walking freely and will give a more accurate record,” suggests Miss May.


When it comes to trimming, Miss


Dairy farmers pay high price for lameness


E


arly detection is key for dairy farmers to stay on top of lame- ness cases and prevent lower


milk yields, particularly for produc- ers on a robotic system.


Lameness remains one of the high- est costs to a dairy business – despite a range of industry initiatives to reduce it being a top priority in UK herds, says Wynnstay dairy specialist Beth May. “A lame cow will stand more, eat less and ultimately have less energy left over for milk production,” explains Miss May.


Moderately or mildly lame cows produce about 4-9% less milk than a healthy cow – a daily loss of about 1.5 litres. With the average 200-cow herd running at 30% lameness, this is equiv- alent to 48,500 litres of lost milk worth £13,600.


Miss May says: “This is not con-


sidering the other long-term impacts lameness has on fertility, culling rate, number of replacements needed on- farm, additional labour, trimming and vet’s bills.” For robotic herds, Miss May says it is critical to keep a close eye on early cas- es. Lame cows in a robotic system are likely to need fetching more for milk- ing, so it will impact the average num- ber of visits and therefore milk yield.


Visual inspection “As you don’t see the cows walking to the parlour on a daily basis, there’s less visual inspection of the cow’s mobili- ty and hoof condition. To get on top of cases requires an early, proactive, pre- ventative approach rather than reac- tionary cures.” Miss Mays explains a few ways to keep cases at bay. “Consider month-


A proactive approach to lameness is important, says Bethany May.


May notes this is only done because of overgrowth or trauma to hoof. “They’re only overgrown or damaged because something in the environment is not right,” she explains.


“This could be because of inade-


quate fl ooring, sharp corners and/or turns in sheds or the parlour, inappro- priate cubicles impacting lying times or even inadequate nutrition. I would recommend working with an inde- pendent consultant.”


This can make it easier to assess where the cause or problem areas are – and review where any changes can be made. “This could include altera- tions to fl oors with rubber matting or simple tweaks to rations.” When it comes to nutrition, zinc has been proven to support hoof structure, to prevent lameness risk. Availa Zinc is the a proven performance mineral to reduce incidence of hoof lesions, such as digital dermatitis, ulcers or white line disease, by up to 30%. “As well as lameness prevention, by supporting keratin production in the hoof, Availa Zinc is also proven to support against mastitis and reduce cell counts – due to its role in the for- mation of the keratin plug closing the teat canal after milking.”


Micronutrition is crucial part of prevention


Farmers looking to support hoof health are being encouraged to consider trace element and vitamin supplementation. Appropriate micronutrition and a


suitable trimming strategy can support the hoof horn and help prevent lameness and its costly consequences, says Tom Butler, group technical manager at Brinicombe. Trace element and vitamin


supplementation can play an important part in helping to reduce the risk of hoof diseases, including digital dermatitis and


sole ulcers. Biotin and zinc as particularly crucial, says Mr Butler. “Biotin is essential for keratinisation,


which is a key process in the healthy composition of the hoof horn, but this vitamin is oſt en lacking in cattle diets. Zinc is also incredibly important for hoof health.” Severe nutritional defi ciencies in biotin


and zinc can make a hoof more susceptible to cracks and bacterial infections, increasing the risk of lameness. Mr Butler says routinely trace elements and vitamin


supplementation can reduce this risk. EnduraBol Biotin is a good way to


ensure a consistent and long-lasting supply of micronutrients to help support hoof health – as well as general cow health and performance, he says. “During the summer, lameness can be


increasingly noticeable as cattle are more likely to be walking further to the parlour, oſt en on sharp, stony tracks, which can cause wear and tear on hooves,” says Mr Butler


AUGUST 2021 • MIDLAND FARMER 39


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