Peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms
As autumn marks the peak risk period for lameness on dairy farms, Tom Murphy, B&T Dairy Advisor at Teagasc Galway/Clare, looks at the costs and possible avenues to alleviate this pressure.
One of the hidden costs when it comes to milking cows is lameness, and it is often a repeat offender. It can also take up a lot of valuable time if the cow has to be kept in a separate paddock, or if it increases the length of time it takes to get the cows to and from the milking parlour.
The cost of dairy cow lameness could be up to €300 per single incident, not to mention reduced animal welfare and the hassle factor of lame cows. However, on an ongoing herd basis, recent detailed research suggests that lameness on Irish dairy farms costs in the region of €5,000 per 100 cow herd per annum, at a prevalence of 5%. This cost is estimated to double at a prevalence of 10% and treble when in the region of 20%.
Work carried out by Teagasc Moorepark researchers established that lameness is in the region of 9% on Irish dairy herds and is highest in autumn, but with a large range across herds. Cows with problems in the spring were 10 times more likely to re-appear as lame in the autumn. Lameness causes for a grazing herd tend to be mechanical (bruising, white line disease, ulcers), rather than infectious (mortellaro, foul in the foot, other infections). The dairy farmer can prevent a lot of this by paying attention to detail of the walking surfaces and managing cow flow around milking times. This is a good time to review the issues on the farm as we move into the autumn, which is the highest risk time of year.
The following key areas concerning prevention should be prioritised:
- Specific problem areas
- Problem road surfaces
- Interface areas
- Roadway verges
- Cow flow
- Hoof trimming
- Foot bathing
Small problem areas like standing water, poorly-drained corners, broken surfaces, shading by overgrown trees, etc., can cause major lameness problems. Identify and fix these as a first step.
Are they in good enough condition? Small pebbles and grit are the main cause of white line disease. If this is observed at hoof trimming, then there is an issue to be fixed. Surfaces should be smooth and finished with a well-compacted surface material. Take an hour or two to walk farm roads and note the quality of the surface, getting a second opinion if possible.
The step from roadway to concrete can often be a cause of lameness due to pebbles being dragged onto the hard surface. Laying 8-10m of a material like astroturf at yard or tunnel entries/exits has worked very well for many farms.
A common problem is build-up of grass/sods along the road over time, which impedes drainage. Remove these or at least break regular openings to provide drainage.
Cow flow in and out of the parlour
Are there simple modifications that could be made, e.g., remove sharp turns, provide matting on narrow parlour exits? Check the size of the collecting yard – providing more than 1.5m2 per cow reduces stress on cows’ feet.
A repeat offender
Lameness is a repeat offender problem. All cows that were treated during spring or have a previous history should be drafted for selective trimming by early autumn. Check all cows for rear hoof condition at milking – trim overgrown digits before clinical lameness emerges.
Footbathing
Footbath for infectious disease control where identified. Follow a clear protocol for product use and schedule of treatments. Poorly done footbathing is worse than no footbathing at all. Record all clinical cases and causes so that ongoing problems can be identified.
Figure 1: Precast concrete footbath measuring 850mm x 3m - works well for herds of up to 250 cows.
Conclusion
Now is a good time to act on any adjustments that need to be made while weather conditions are reasonably good and as we enter the high risk period - when cows are heavier in-calf and ground conditions become soft.