Shropshire Farming Talk: Managing cow comfort before spring turnout

This typically leads to a decrease in lameness, as grazing cows face a lower risk of developing lesions such as sole ulcers and digital dermatitis.

With a long grazing season ahead, foot health and condition should now be monitored to detect early any possible signs of ailment.

We recommend routine trimming 4-8 weeks prior to turn-out. During the winter months cattle spend much of their time on concrete surfaces, this tends to be abrasive and concussive, increasing wear on the outside heel while stimulating horn growth on sole and wall.

Overgrowth with loss of normal shape can contribute to altered load bearing during locomotion. This results in more concussion with further overgrowth and imbalance leading eventually to lameness in some animals.

Therefore, addressing cow comfort, including foot trimming, before spring turnout is essential. Lame cows eat less, lose weight and take longer to get back in calf. Preventative measures and treating hoof issues early are fundamental to avoiding problems escalating. Paying attention to all areas of cow comfort across the farm is important in managing the spread of lameness this spring and summer.

As the technological revolution within agriculture continues, we have adopted new technology which allows us to provide real time data. We are now developing accurate foot care programmes, tailored specifically to your herd, helping to ensure mobility, efficiency and ultimately a healthy and profitable enterprise.

This coupled with new streamlined machinery also ensures a quality hoof care programme which can be delivered more quickly, allowing you to focus more time on running your farming business.

When you consider that a single case of lameness costs about the same as hoof trimming 18 cows, prevention is definitely better than cure.

Nick Challenor is the owner of ND Challenor Professional Livestock Services.