Herd Health

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.

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.

Lameness is a sign of pain resulting in an abnormal locomotion, gait or posture. It is a major economic, productivity and animal welfare issue in our industry. Lameness is commonly caused by hoof lesions, which are either infectious or non-infectious.

For more than three decades, Vic Larson has been traveling the Minnesota countryside, taking care of dairy cows’ hoof-trimming needs.

Milking times are the most stressful points of a cow’s day. Removing as much stress as possible from the holding area and parlor can help improve milk let-down and ensure a complete milking.