Lameness can be an issue on dairy farms throughout the year, but heading into the autumn months is a particularly high-risk period.
Cows have spent the last number of months potentially walking long distances or on road surfaces that are in poor condition.
As we move into the autumn months, land that has been used for silage production is often introduced into the grazing platform and this means that cows are often walking even further distances.
Lameness
Farmers should prepare for this high-risk period by examining and repairing road surfaces in high-traffic areas and on parts of the farm not grazed since spring.
Repairs that are required to roadways in these areas should be completed over the coming weeks.
Time spent fixing damaged roadways can make a big difference to herd hoof health later in the year.
Farmers should also look at clearing the grass verges to allow surface water to flow to the field, cut back overhanging branches, and remove debris from surfaces, bends and paddock access points.
Identification
It is also a good time to identify cows within the herd that are showing signs of lameness, and using locomotion scoring is the probably the best way to do this.
Cows should be assessed when they are walking on level, unobstructed walkways that give the observer a clear view.
Locomotion scoring is frequently performed when the cows are leaving the milking parlour.
Note: A cow’s hind foot should land in the same place as her front foot; failure to do this may be an indication of a lameness issue.
Locomotion scoring is a five-point system based on both gait and posture:
- Normal: The cow is not lame; the back is flat;
- Mildly lame: The back is slightly arched when walking;
- Moderately lame: The back is arched when both standing and walking. The cow walks with short strides in one or more legs;
- Lame: The lame cow can still bear some weight on the affected foot;
- Severely lame: The back is arched; the cow refuses to bear weight on the affected foot and remains recumbent.