HEAL ▶▶▶TH


infection to enter. Susceptible animals should be prevented from grazing these pastures.


• Susceptible animals should also be prevented from grazing tall fescue pastures because of the elevated level of the toxin ergovaline, which causes fescue foot condition. The condition is more apparent in cold seasons and is charac- terised by lameness, swelling around the fetlocks, pain and eventual loss of hooves caused by dry gangrene.


• Cross-infection of Dichelobacter nodosus, which causes foot rot, does occur between sheep and cattle grazing on the same pasture. Cows affected by D. nodosus may only have a mild skin infection that can be easily treated with drugs. In other cases, however, the infection may be too se- vere to be treated and D. nodosus can survive for long peri- ods in the hooves of cows. It is important to take account of this when implementing mixed grazing programmes.


• Under poor grazing conditions, cows must spend time walking to search for food, which causes changes in gait over time with resulting hoof damage. With good-quality pastures, cows can show rapid improvements in gait due to the relatively short time of grazing.


• Pasture may provide the animals with sufficient nutrients to maintain their body weight. However, in 95% of cases pas- ture may not contain sufficient amounts of elements such as copper and zinc, which are needed to maintain immune function and hence prevent bacterial infection of the hooves, particularly so in a period of very rapid pasture growth during spring. Supplementary feeding of these elements should be considered in these cases.


• As indicated above, high intake of rapidly fermentable ma- terials (7.5–12.5g/kg BW) can reliably produce hoof prob- lems even in genetically resistant animals. In this case, it is recommended to turn animals out very late at night or very early in the morning because the fermentable carbohydrate levels are likely to be at their lowest at these times.


• Cold temperatures reduce grass growth, resulting in the accumulation of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates.


Therefore, animals should not be turned out onto pasture that has been exposed to low temperatures in conjunction with bright sunlight, such as occur in the autumn after the autumn flush of growth or on bright, cool winter days.


Footbathing Copper sulfate is commonly used in footbath solutions at a concentration of 2–5%. It decreases both the incidence and severity of hoof lesions and is relatively inexpensive. Formalin footbaths have many similar effects on hooves and are also inexpensive. However, formalin is a suspected carcinogen and must be used in a well-ventilated area and requires addi- tional safety precautions. Formalin treatment concentration should be 3–5%. Chemical burns in cattle may be caused by the use of formalin solutions in excess of 5%. Zinc sulfate is another material used in the footbath solution at a concen- tration of up to 20%. Unlike the other footbath solutions, zinc sulfate has not been widely accepted because of difficulty dissolving it in water. Footbath solutions should be maintained at a minimum depth of 10cm so dewclaws are duly submerged. The solution should be changed after 200 cows pass through the footbath. If cows have quite clean hooves and legs, the solution can be changed after 350 cows have passed through the footbath. If cows have dirty hooves and legs, the solution should be changed more frequently.


Trimming Correctly trimming a cow’s feet can give the hoof stability and enable the cow to distribute weight equally between the hooves. It is recommended to trim feet at least once or twice a year. The ideal times would be once at dry-off and again around 100 days in milk. A professional hoof trimmer who uses the correct equipment and procedures should be employed. Good record-keeping is key to monitoring a cow’s condition.


References are available from the author upon request.


Table 1 – Major hoof problems in cattle. Hoof Problems


Etiology and Characteristics


Lameness Sole ulcer


Digital dermatitis Foot rot


Deep infection Laminitis


Arises from hoof-related health issues and is often a reason for culling.


Sole ulcers are a lesion on the toe or heel of the hoof, but most commonly found on the heel. The sole ulcer disrupts the production of horn material on the hoof.


A condition characterized by reddened area rounded by projected hair-like structures. This condition causes no fever in cattle, but it is painful.


Caused by the invasion of a bacteria called F. necrophorum, which often enters hooves between the two digits of the hoof and promote bacterial growth.


This occurs in cattle hooves when cracks or breaks in the hoof result from walking or standing on rough surfaces.


This is an inflammation of the lamina or skin surrounding the bones of the hoof and is caused by either environmental conditions, genetic conditions, or both.


Adapted from: C. A. Tomko (2018) ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 3, 2020 11


PHOTO: HENK RISWICK


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