Herd Health

What is the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)?

A change to the guidelines by the FDA regarding antibiotics for food animals in feed or water took effect in January 2017.

Veterinary medicine continues to change, and more female vets are working on dairies than ever before. While physical strength will always be a challenge, these animal health professionals are relying on brains over brawn to confront daily obstacles, including gender bias.

The sole on a cow’s claw protects it from outside harm, similar to the sole of a shoe on a human foot. Having thin soles is similar to wearing thin or worn shoe soles in that the feet are more vulnerable to ground surfaces when they lack that extra layer of protection. Since cows are on their feet for extended periods, excessive sole wear, linked with over trimming of claws, can lead to significant complications in everyday activities, as well as dips in production.

During and after wet seasons, bacteria and fungus are prevalent. Similar to human toenails, once fungus and bacteria set in, it’s very challenging to conquer.

When it comes to hoof health, there are many factors that go into making sure your cows have healthy hooves. Many of these get overlooked, as they may seem trivial, but are all important to keep hooves healthy.