Cows With Trimmed Hooves Produced More Milk

COWS WITH TRIMMED HOOVES PRODUCED MORE MILK  

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In are search study conducted in Carolina, USA corrective hoof trimming may give an added lactation to the cow. In other words, a good hoof condition is likely to result in a better milk performance for the milking cow.

Walking or mating puts considerable stress on the cow's hooves and legs. Herds kept in concrete-floored stalls generally suffer from excessive hoof wear. On the other hand, cows kept in surfaces that are soft often get overgrown hoofs. In either
case, the animal suffers. Sometimes the result is lameness, which according to
experts may be caused by any of the following predisposing factors. Infection
hits hardest when the animal has a wound.
    
According to one professor of Purdue Univ. (USA), animals on high levels of
nutrition grow more hoof, which cows on rubber mats have extremely dry hard
hooves causing commercial hoof trimmers to charge more for their services.
    
Whenever there is an indication of an incidence of foot rot, the herd should be
made to walk through a foot bath containing a solution of two to five percent
copper sulphate twice daily. Cows in herds that used foot baths had "better" feet-deeper heels, steeper angles and shorter claws. All these characteristics are indications of healthier, easier to manage animal feet.

Source: Phil. Farmer's Journal June 1982
Descriptor: Animal Sciences
Descriptor: Cows

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