The impact of lameness on the performance in grazing cattle can be underestimated.

Although cows were designed to live on pasture, it is the management of cows at pasture that determine the risk of compromised hoof health.

Dr. Huw McConochie from Zinpro explains the true impact and management strategies to keep your cows’ hoofs in tip-top condition.

Motivate grazing cattle to lie down

Cows on grazing systems have a relatively short time for lying down, although the quality and comfort of the lying periods may be superior to that experienced by most cows housed in inadequately designed stalls.

We know that lying times are an important factor in hoof health and ideally, cows should lie down for at least 12hrs/day.

In a grazing system the cow requires more time for harvesting grass. The consumption of 16kg dry matter (DM) will take the average cow around eight hours, but this is heavily dependent on sward quality, environmental conditions, and day length.

Depending on the size of the herd, the efficiency of milking centre and the distance to pasture, the cow can spend around six hours/day away from pasture and access to a lying area. These two factors alone use over half of the day without any time for rest. 

Good walking surfaces for grazing cattle

The next challenge is the condition of the walking surfaces and the way cows are moved along the cow tracks.

Hurrying cows along uneven surfaces has been shown to have a negative effect on hoof health and a positive effect in the development of lesions such as white lines.  

Another high-risk area is the interface between the cow track and the concrete surface of the holding pen. Debris carried off the track on to the concrete can create a risk, especially if hoof horn integrity has already been compromised.

It is unlikely that stones can penetrate the hoof if the integrity of the claws are sound. Stones often penetrate through areas of poor horn development especially in the white line and sole.   

One of the most effective combinations of factors for creating lameness is when fresh cows are required to walk long distances in the first few days post-calving.

During the three weeks prior to and post-calving, the structural tissues within the claw are very delicate and prone to damage which can lead to the development of hoof lesions.

Cows which already have hoof issues prior to calving are at even higher risk of developing irreversible hoof damage. 

In addition, both groups of cows will have compromised dry matter intakes (DMI) and are likely to be consuming a diet high in concentrate and low in forage which can further exacerbate the risk of lesions developing.

Taking all these factors into consideration we can easily build a set of guidelines which should help prevent the development of hoof lesions and protect hoof health. 

Guidelines to enhance hoof health

  1. Support the time-budget of the cow and make more time for her to lay down. Some tips here include having swards at the correct height and pre-grazing mowing;
  2. Ensure walkways are kept in good condition. Cows should be able to walk comfortable with bare feet;
  3. Do not hurry cows along tracks. Cows walk at a slower pace than humans;
  4. Treated cows or cows which are beginning to develop hoof issues should also be kept close to the milking centre to facilitate recovery;
  5. Keep fresh cows close to the milking centre for a few days after calving and provide them with dry feed in addition to grazed grass. This will help them to achieve their target DMI and protect the integrity of the claw;
  6. A fair percentage of lameness develops during the transition period. Inspect all feet prior to drying off and treat any cows with lesions. Use the dry off period as an opportunity to cure lame cows;
  7. Claws can be made more resilient with correct mineral nutrition.

Enhanced claw health

Providing superior, more metabolically available sources of trace minerals can enhance claw health.

Supplementing with Zinpro Performance Minerals has been shown to statistically reduce risk of lameness.

Zinpro Performance Minerals are the only trace minerals where one metal is structurally bonded to one amino acid (1:1) that allows the metal to be efficiently absorbed through the amino acid transporters in the gut.

Once in circulation they are metabolized differently from other metal sources allowing the cow to utilize the trace minerals more effectively.

Lame cows lose excessive body condition, produce less milk and are less likely to become pregnant.

Zinpro’s recommendations are designed to maintain healthy hooves promoting productivity and longevity.

For more information on Zinpro Performance Minerals, click here.

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