Lameness

Hopefully most of your cows at the moment have full function of all four limbs, but understandably there will also be a few popping up as the season progresses (and the rain keeps falling). Lame cows cost the New Zealand dairy industry millions a year and is the third most costly animal health problem in the world. Lameness is pain by definition and while it can be easy to check into procrastination station and leave it for tomorrow, it is always better to get on top of lameness early.

Discussing all the causes of lameness can be like going down the rabbit hole. The key message is to do the basics and do them well! DairyNZ has many brilliant resources on their website on the causes and prevention of lameness. Well worth your time.

As for treatment, regular revision of hoof trimming technique is always worthwhile to make sure we are being as effective at dealing with, what is one of the most important parts of dairying in New Zealand. If there are any doubts, Veehoof does regular training seasons, or get in touch with one of our vets. They would be more than happy to run through hoof trimming technique with you.

What about pain relief for lame cows?

Short answer: Absolutely, always and anytime you are unsure.

Long answer: Lameness is painful, and pain deserves to be treated just like any other disease. Some recent results out of the UK have looked at the effect of pain relief on cure rates of lame cows. Cows receiving a trim, block and NSAID (pain relief such as Ketomax) had a much higher chance (56%) of being cured at day 35 versus just receiving a trim and a block (36%).

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with your vet should you want to discuss a lameness problem or if you would like to conduct an on farm training session.