FOOT CARE MANAGEMENT

Copyright © VEEPRO HOLLAND. Publication from this manual is permitted only after approval of VEEPRO HOLLAND and on condition of statement of the source

Publisher / Editor : VEEPRO HOLLAND Information centre for Dutch cattle P.O.Box 4546800 AL ARNHEM HOLLAND / Tlx: 45541 NRS NL / Phone: * * 31 85 861133 / Fax: * * 31 85 861452

Design & Realization : metal design- meppen-holland

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The authors are indebted to the DairyTraining Centre ‘Friesland’ for theirvaluable assistance in the preparation ofthis manual.

We also express our thanks to the Depart-ment of Large-animal Surgery of theFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, StateUniversity of Utrecht and to the DairyTraining Centre ‘Friesland’ for making thevarious illustrations available to us.

Veepro Holland

FOREWORD

Foot Care Management is the third in aseries of management manuals publishedby Veepro Holland.Through these manuals Veepro Hollandaims at providing you with useful manage-ment information. Dairy cattle world-wideneed to receive proper guidance to fullyutilize their potential.

Veepro Holland hopes that this manualmay widen your knowledge about foot careand consequently contributes to lesslameness in your herd.

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foot care has become necessary in order tokeep the cows’ feet in good health.

Several studies have shown that good footcare can save the dairy farmer a substantialamount of money. A reduction in lamenessmeans less veterinary costs and culling ofcows, and subsequently higher milkproduction.

This manual informs you about the mostoccurring feet problems, their causes andtreatment, and last but not least about theprevention of these problems.

INTRODUCTION

A dairy cow produces at its best if she ishealthy and feels comfortable.A healthy cow will be able to eat enoughfeed to produce high quantities of milk whilemaintaining good fertility. For this reason adairy farmer should closely watch theoverall health status of his herd.

An important feature of the cows’ health isthe use of their legs and feet. A dairy cowshould be able to walk without any prob-lems. Nowadays, with the confined housingsystems in use, such as tie-stalls and freestall (cubicles) housing, proper preventive

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CONFORMATION OFTHE FOOT

For a clear understanding of the causesand the prevention of lameness, it isessential to understand the structure of thefoot and the horn-forming process.

Figure 1 shows the conformation of the foot:

1 . The horny wall of the claw. 2 . The pastern. 3 . The heel or bulb. 4 . The weight-bearing border of the wall. 5 . Growthrings. 6 . The interdigital space. 7 . The coronet. 8 . The sole; if the claw is healthy, the thickness is 5 to 7 mm. 9 . The soler part of the heel; the weight- bearing part of the heel.10. The white line; the horny connection between the weight-bearing border and the sole.11. The interdigital skin.

The forming of horn

The hoof is a casing around the foot.Between the hoof and the pedal bone lies asensitive tissue known as the quick or thecorium, the horn-forming tissue.

The horn of the wall is formed at the coronet.From here it grows very slowly at a rate ofabout 5 millimeters per month.The optimal distance from the coronet tothe tip of the toe should be about 7½ centi-metres. It means that it will take about 15months before the newly formed horn tissuereaches the toe, where it will be worn away.

The horny layer covering the sole of thefoot is produced from the quick at thebottom of the foot. This horny layer is softerthan the horn of the wall.The junction between the horn of the walland the horny layer of the sole is known asthe white line, which runs around the toesand back along the inside of the claw.

Figure 1 Conformation of the foot

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Weight bearing

The overall weight of the cow should betaken on the solid horny wall of the clawand on the solar part of the heel.The weight should be equally distributedover the inner and the outer claw.

Correct weight bearing

Incorrect weight bearing due to overgrowth ofthe outer claw

Certain foot diseases will cause overload-ing of one of the claws. A diseased hind footwill lead to abnormal horn formation of theouter claw, whereas at the fore feet theinner claw will be overloaded if a foot isdiseased.

Usually in case of a diseased hind foot, theouter claw will become higher than the innerclaw, resulting in more pressure on theouter claw and consequently ulceration ofthe sole, which causes lameness.

The optimal angle of the claw in relation tothe floor level is about 45°. If the angle isover 45°, then there will be probablyovergrowth of the heel. An angle of lessthan 45° indicates overgrowth of the toe.

FOOT DISEASES

Five of the most common foot diseases incattle are:

1. interdigital dermatitis,2. laminitis,3. interdigital phlegmon,4. digital dermatitis and5. sandcracks.

All these diseases can be diagnosed bytheir appearance. The treatment should befocussed on eradicating the cause of thedisease.

Interdigital dermatitis

Interdigital dermatitis, also called ‘slurryheel’ or ‘heelhorn erosion’, is a bacterialinflammation of the interdigital skin and theheel. The disease is less virulent, but morewidespread when the cows are housed in afree stall housing system with a slatted floorthan in tie-stalls with straw bedding.

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The wet and smelly inflammation of theinterdigital skin is characteristic of theinitial stage of this disease. It becomes lessnoticeable during the process of thedisease. The inflammation of theinterdigital skin may spread to the horn ofthe heel of the adjacent claws. Abnormalhorn formation, with ridges or fissures, maylead to bruising of the quick in this region.The feet become oversensitive, andsubsequently lameness will follow.

Laminitis

Laminitis is a metabolic disorder of thequick that occurs around calving.However, it often becomes apparent at alater stage when it reveals itself in changesof the horn production and in the transfor-mation of the form of the claw.Laminitis does not last long (a few weeks),but the changes in the shape of the weak-ened claw may cause prolonged weight-bearing problems.

Laminitis and its effects occur mainly in theouter hind claws. One of the effects oflaminitis is increased horn production.It results in more pressure on the claw, as itbecomes excessively high.This overgrowth will cause bruising of thequick and ulceration of the sole andabnormal stances of the leg due to painwithin the outer hind claws.

Inflammation of the interdigital skin is characteristicof the initial stage

The infection stimulates horn formation ofthe wall and the sole, and particularly theouter hind claw will be affected.Consequently this claw will becomeexcessively high and considerably over-loaded. It will eventually lead to ulcerationof the sole and result in an abnormalstance of the leg, because of pain.

TreatmentWhen the cows are moved into paddocks,the inflammation of the interdigital skinoften spontaneously disappears due to theimproved hygienic environment.Horn formation in the bulb area will berestored, but old deformations will takesome time to wear out. Trimming may be animportant aid and considerably contributesto the process of restoration.

Abnormal growthrings caused by laminitis

The most distinct changes caused bylaminitis are:

- a buckled toe;- abnormal growthrings dropping down backwards;- yellow or red discolorations due to tissue fluid or blood in the horn of the sole and the white line;- defects in the white line;- double sole.

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TreatmentTrimming of the claws in such a way thatnormal weight bearing is restored will helpto cure the consequences of laminitis.The claw should be given rest in case ofdamage. Therefore, the healthy clawshould be left high enough to release theaffected one. If necessary, a hoof blockshould be fixed with a special glue underthe healthy claw. Your veterinarian hasready-made hoof blocks available and it isrecommended to consult him for advice.

Interdigital phlegmon

Interdigital phlegmon or foul-in-the-foot is adisease of the tissue close to the claw andin particular between the toes. It is accom-panied by a hard swelling in the middle ofthe pastern region, just above theinterdigital space. Only one leg is affectedand the animal quite suddenly goes lame.A typical symptom is the ‘painful’ position ofthe leg. It is held slightly forward with the tipof the claws hardly touching the surface.Often, the swollen leg is moved a little upand down. This condition can be timelydiagnosed and with effective treatment theinterdigital phlegmon should not be aserious problem.

TreatmentOnce diagnosed, interdigital phlegmonshould be immediately treated with antibiot-ics injections or chemotherapeutics,which can be applied either by injection ororally. The inflammation and lameness willusually disappear within one or two days.When interdigital phlegmon has developed,it must not be treated with formalin, but with amilder disinfectant and above all rest.

Digital dermatitis

Digital dermatitis, also known asMortellaro’s disease, is characterized by acircumscribed inflammation of the skinnear the coronet. In typical cases theinflammation is surrounded by a smallwhite epithelial border. The hair around itoften stands upright. The lesions are verypainful when touched and may causemoderate to severe lameness.

A hard swelling, just above the interdigital space isan indication of interdigital phlegmon

The most likely locations are:

- the bulb region behind the fissures, resulting from interdigital dermatitis;- the interdigital skin, usually on top of an interdigital overgrowth;- the coronet, usually near the transition of the interdigital skin.

Tetracycline-gentianviolet solution is an effectivetreatment against digital dermatitis

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TreatmentAfter thorough cleaning and drying of theinfected area, a precise local applicationwith a tetracycline-gentianviolet solutionshould be applied as effective treatment.The treatment should be repeated for allinfected feet in the herd in order to controlthe spreading of the disease. Normally, asingle treatment will be sufficient for themoment, but any new cases of lamenessshould be attentively watched for.

Sandcracks

A sandcrack is a fracture of the horny wall inthe same direction of the horn growth.Within intensive dairy farming systems,sandcracks are less common than the otherfoot diseases described. It is assumed thatnearly all sandcracks originally begin as asmall fracture of the horn near the coronet.When the crack reaches the quick severelameness may follow. Sandcracks occurmore frequently in fore feet then in hind feet.It is often noticed during very dry summersand in dry tropical climates.

TreatmentImmediate treatment of small cracks in thecoronet with antibiotics should solve theproblem and control any inflammation ofthe underlying quick. Healing will beconsiderably delayed, once pus is presentand the quick is already damaged.In this case, a little horn should be removedto release the pus, but leaving the quickunexposed. If the quick is exposed,a plaster bandage can be used to cover thewound. Good results have been obtainedby trimming the infected claw and fixing ablock to the healthy claw to remove the loadfrom the cracked claw. A complementarytreatment in a sodium carbonate (soda)bath may help solving the problem.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

1. Hygienic housing

Foot diseases and lameness occur in allkinds of housing systems. However, itsincidence and seriousness differ from farmto farm. These differences are to a large

extent dependent on the level of hygiene,especially in case of interdigital dermatitis.Good hygiene can be achieved throughthorough cleaning and disinfection ofhousing as a routine (once or twice a year).

Clean and dry housing is an importantpreventive measure

Level and dry surfaces in- and outdoorsmake walking much easier and will causefewer lameness problems. The advantagesof dry housing conditions are less slipperyfloors and reduced access of bacteria.A dairy farm in a hot and dry climate willhave relatively fewer cases of interdigitaldermatitis. Furthermore, unpaved areas inopen-air corral dairy systems should havesufficient slope for adequate drainage toavoid mucky surroundings.

Cows will need time to get used to slattedfloors and it is advisable to make the oldercalves and maiden heifers get used to thissystem as early as possible. Otherwise thesudden change of environment, togetherwith the start of milk production after calvingmay be too great and may eventually causefoot problems.

2. Nutrition

Laminitis is related to some disorders of thedigestive tract, the uterus and the mam-mary system. These disorders are to alarge extent influenced by nutrition.Consequently, the amount of feed and thecomposition of the diet has a considerableeffect on the health of the feet.

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Laminitis and related disorders occurparticularly from several days before, untilsome weeks after calving. During this periodthere is a rapid increase in the intake ofconcentrates and most of the time reducedroughage (long fibre) consumption. This isthe main cause of rumen acidosis, which isconsidered to have a great influence on theoccurrence of laminitis.

3. Regular hoof trimming

Lameness is caused by abnormal weightbearing as a result of excessive hornformation. Once excessive horn formationoccurs, then trimming is necessary toprevent lameness. The purpose of hooftrimming is to restore the claws to theirnormal functional weight-bearing surface.

Since most cases of lameness occur inearly lactation, checking and trimming offeet at drying-off time can effectivelycontribute to the prevention of lameness.In an intensive dairy farming system, it isrecommended to trim all milking cows twicea year as a routine.

Good nutrition prevents laminitis

The prevention of laminitis should bebased on a feeding regime according to thecows’ energy and protein requirements.Sudden changes within the daily rationshould be avoided at all times.Important feeding guidelines in relation tothe cows’ health are:

- feeding little or no concentrate during the dry period;- ensuring that there is always sufficient good-quality roughage available;- gradual increasing the amount of concen- trates after calving.

Feeding a well-balanced mineral mix withadditional zinc is considered to have apositive effect on the prevention ofinterdigital phlegmon. Zinc increases theresistance of the skin to the penetration ofbacterial infections. It will also improve theskin’s healing ability in case of an infection.

A hoof trimming box is very useful

When hoof trimming is regularly carried out,all facilities for making it an easy job shouldbe present. The equipment required com-prises a sharp left and right hoof trimmingknife and a sharpening stone, a hoofcutter,and a curved hand rasp. At all times keepyour hoof knives as sharp as possible forease of working. The availability of a hooftrimming box will make the job much easier.

It should be emphasized that accurate hooftrimming cannot be learned from paper.Thorough practical training is an absolutemust for proper hoof trimming.It is recommended to participate in a specialtraining course.

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Getting startedTo start hoof trimming a rope with a slipknotis tied around the cow’s hind leg just abovethe hock. It does not matter whether the legis raised by a rope across a beam, a pulleyor a lever. For an effective hold and aconvenient working level the hock shouldbe sufficiently raised up for ease of work-ing. For trimming the fore feet, there shouldbe some form of restraining equipment, forexample a trimming box with an additionalsupport, on which the fore feet can betightened.

An additional support can be used to trim the fore feet

Before starting the actual trimming, the feetshould be properly cleaned to get a goodview of the whole claw.

Stage oneThe first stage in hoof trimming is to cut thesound claw back to the correct length byusing the hoof cutter. Measure the length ofthe claws and make a carving at 7½centimetres from the coronet.If necessary, trim the sound claw back tothe correct length.

Cut a plane bearing surface underneaththis claw with the hoof knife. Good work-manship is to slice thin layers of horn and tomove the knife away from yourself to avoidinjuries. As little horn as possible should betaken away in the heel area, so that it will be

easier to make the other claw equally high.It is important that the sole should keep athickness of about 5-7 mm.

Cutting the claw back to the correct length

Stage twoIf necessary, cut the overgrown claw to thesame length and cut the claw to the sameheight as the other one. Make sure that thesole does not become too thin and that aplane bearing surface parallel to the shinbone is obtained.

The claws should be cut to the same height

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Stage threeIf necessary, slice off thin layers of horn tocut some slope in the sole.

This is called functional trimming. If thereare still sole lesions remaining in one of theclaws, then apply further treatment, asdescribed under stages four and five(curative trimming). Otherwise continuewith the other foot.

Stage fourMore height should be taken away from theaffected claw towards the heel, in such away that most of the weight is taken by thehealthy claw. This will provide more rest forthe bruised claw. If this is not possible,because the sole would become too thin,then fix a block underneath the sound claw.

Stage fiveTake away loose horn and trim down thehard ridges, but make sure that the quick isnot being damaged.

4. Footbath

A footbath is a regular hygienic procedureto prevent foot diseases, such asinterdigital dermatitis. The correct solutionfor footbaths is 3 - 5 litres of commercialformalin added to 100 litres of water.Be aware that the formalin becomes lesseffective when the temperature of the bathsolution decreases below 15° C.Copper sulphate may also be used.Suitable dimensions for a footbath areabout 75 centimetres wide, 3 to 5 metreslong and 15 centimetres deep. The bathshould be filled up to a level of 10 cm.

The best place for a footbath is after the exitof the milking parlour. The best results areobtained when the animals are kept in a dryplace for about half an hour after they haveleft the bath. During this time the formalinwill act accordingly. Depending on thenumber of cows a foot bath can be used forabout 2 - 3 days. After this period the bathwill loose its strength. If the bath becomestoo dirty, it should be replenished.Good prevention against interdigitaldermatitis is achieved by applying twobathing periods, at an interval of three orfour weeks when the cows are housed.

Footbathing is an effective prevention againstinterdigital dermatitis

5. Breeding

In order to reduce the susceptibility to footdiseases adequate selection traits areneeded. These traits must be heritable andmust have a correlation with the occurrenceof foot disorders. Possible traits for selectionare the set and the bone quality of the legs,the use of the legs and feet when walkingand the claw angle. In the Netherlands aswell as in many other countries these traitsare being classified and breeding valuesare estimated for sires and cows. It isrecommended to use semen of proven siresthat are known for improving the quality offeet and legs, and foot angle.

The resistance to all foot diseases men-tioned will not be equally improved bybreeding. Some will be more geneticallyinfluenced than others.

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SUMMARY

Sound legs and feet are important featuresfor good health of the dairy cow.Therefore, foot diseases should beprevented as much as possible. This canbe done by good stockmanship.With proper foot care, lameness shouldnot be a serious problem.The general guidelines for proper footcare are:

1.maintaining a hygienic environment with dry surface areas and proper drainage to avoid dirty circumstances;

2.feeding sufficient good quality roughage and avoiding sudden changes in the daily ration;

3.hoof trimming should be done on a regular basis, preferably at least twice a year;

4.using footbaths regularly;

5.selecting proven sires that improve legs and feet.

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REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING

-Foot care in cattle, compiled by the Department of Large-animal Surgery of the Faculty of

Veterinary Medicine, State University of Utrecht and the Dairy Training Centre ‘Friesland’.

-Foot care in cattle, lecture notes Dairy Training Centre ‘Friesland’.

-Cattle footcare and claw trimming by E. Toussaint Raven, Farming Press, England.

-Colour atlas on disorders of cattle and sheep digit by J.Espinasse, et al.

-A veterinary book for dairy farmers by Roger Blowey, Farming Press, England.

-Claw Treatment, video by WOPA BV and Dairy Training Centre ‘Friesland’.

Dairy Training Centre Friesland (DTC-Friesland) was established by various Dutchfarmers’ organizations and is controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Centre conductsa variety of international training programmes and courses. We also provide consultancyand management services.

All courses have a strong practice-oriented character based on the training concept oflearning by doing. The practical training is very intensive; one instructor monitors groupsof six students and on subjects like milking even three students only.DTC-Friesland offers training on the following subjects:

- Dairy Husbandry* machine- and handmilking, milking machines, milk hygiene* feeding, ration calculation, feedplans, quality of feedstuffs* fertility management, heat detection* breeding, use of A.I., culling, body conformation* housing, tying/cubicle systems, hygiene* health, mastitis control, hoofcare* calfrearing* farm economics* farm administration

- Milk processing* manufacture of cheese, butter, yoghurt, ice-cream, etc.* milk collection and payment systems* marketing* management of a dairy unit

Visits to farmers’ organizations, A.I.-stations, Health and Extension service, etc., areintegrated in the courses to provide a good picture of the dairy sector in the Netherlands.

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- Forage production* pasture management* fodder crops* silage making* farm machinery

- Sheep husbandry- Dairy goat husbandry- Intensive beef production- Horse-keeping and animal traction- Teaching methodology Thorough practical training is an absolute

must for proper hoof trimming

Dairy Training Centre Friesland

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COURSE PROGRAMMEA variety of courses is offered on one or more of the earlier mentioned subjects.Most of these training programmes are tailor-made and completely designed in accord-ance with the client’s requirements. The duration of the courses varies from 1 week toseveral months and attendance is arranged preferably in groups of a multiple of 6 partici-pants. Each year in September the Centre organizes the 6-week course“Modern Dairy Farm Management”. This course is designed especially for persons incharge of a large scale dairy enterprise. For groups of the indicated size the course can beorganized at any time during the year.

FOOT CARE COURSESTogether with the Veterinary Faculty of the State University of Utrecht, DTC-Friesland hasplayed a prominent role in the development of the “Dutch method” of foot care.This enables the Centre to offer unique training opportunities in preventive and curativefoot care. Practical courses are organized frequently in English, French, Spanish andGerman for groups of a multiple of 4 persons. Our staff regularly conducts these coursesalso in other countries.

Basic course in foot careThe basic course is conducted for farmers andtheir employees. It is strongly practice-orientedand 70% of the time is spent on practicals.After the course the participants are able to carryout routine claw trimming in their herd in a properway. Defects in the claws can be recognized andtreated.The duration of a basic course is at least1 week. However, to reach a sufficient level infunctional foot care, a period of 2 - 3 weeks isadvisable.

Diploma course in foot careTo reach a professional standard in claw trim-ming more experience is required after a basiccourse of 3 weeks. First the participant shouldgain practical experience by actual trimming of800 - 1000 cows.After this he comes back to the Centre for 1 week.Additional training is provided and the course is finalized by an examination.Having passed the examinations, the participant is awarded a Diploma,which entitles him to work as a professional hoof trimmer.

FACILITIESThe courses are carried out on the 4 farms belonging to the Centre and moreoverextensive use is made of 20 private farms in the neighbourhood.The Centre owns a hostel which provides full board and lodging in single ordouble bedrooms.

For more detailed information please contact:

Dairy Training Centre FrieslandP.O. Box 859062 ZJ OenkerkThe Netherlands

Basic course in foot care

Telephone: +315103-1562Telefax : +315103-1628Telex : 46838 dtcfr nl