29 November 2018
Good record keeping is an important first step in reducing lameness in Welsh dairy herds because it allows farmers to pinpoint the major risk factors in their own herds, advises a vet specialising in cattle lameness.
Sara Pedersen, who is leading a series of Farming Connect workshops concentrating on cattle lameness and foot health, says records make it easier to identify problem areas in individual herds.
“To make progress we need to know where to target our efforts,’’ Miss Pedersen told farmers attending a dairy cow lameness workshop in Newcastle Emlyn.
“If we have a digital dermatitis problem for example there is no point in putting effort into reducing white line disease, as digital dermatitis needs to be tackled first.’’
Establishing the scale of the problem is important too; it is often higher than a farmer suspects, suggests Ms Pedersen, of Glamorgan-based Farm Dynamics Ltd.
On average, a case of lameness costs a dairy business £250 but the range is wide depending on the cause and there are many hidden costs.
Typically sole ulcers are the most costly cause of lameness with an individual case costing in excess of £550, more if the cow is culled as a result.
“Knowing how much lameness is costing you is really important as it helps to prioritise changes based on their cost and what the return on that investment will be,’’ says Miss Pedersen.
Farmers are getting better at tackling lameness – the latest research shows that on average the lameness rate in dairy herds has reduced to 31% - but this is still too high, says Miss Pedersen.
“We still have an awful lot to tackle and we need greater awareness of lameness and its causes.’’
There are three main causes in dairy herds – white line disease, bruising and sole ulcers and digital dermatitis.
Miss Pedersen sought to bust some of the myths relating to lameness, including a common misconception that stones are an underlying cause of sole ulcers.
“Stones are often blamed but it’s not the stone that causes the ulcer, they come in after the problem has occurred, when the damage has already been done.
“There is also a common belief that sole ulcers are linked to acidosis but that has never been proven, they occur due to poor cow comfort and suboptimal transition management.’’
Stones are often wrongly linked to white line disease too but, as Miss Pedersen pointed out: “White line disease typically occurs at the back of the foot towards the heel – if caused by stones it wouldn’t always affect the same spot. As with sole ulcers, they can make an existing problem worse but aren’t the root cause.’’
Practical solutions to each condition depend on the cause.
If the problem is digital dermatitis, hygiene, foot bathing and early treatment must be considered.
Transition management is key to tackling white line disease, said Ms Pedersen, as too is ensuring good cow flow around the farm and alleviating any sharp twists and turns.
There is good research available on different treatment options, Ms Pedersen advised.
“When it comes to claw horn lesions, which includes bruising, white line disease and sole ulcers, we know that the best way to treat these is to treat early but also to apply a block and to give pain relief.
“For digital dermatitis, topical treatments with a licensed antibiotic spray are very effective if repeated treatments are applied.’’
Her principal piece of advice to farmers who have a lameness issue is to consider it from a cow’s point of view. “Put yourself in the cow’s shoes, if she is not walking right she is in pain so you need to tackle what is causing that pain.
“If you were in pain you would want someone to prevent it and that is no different for your cows.’’
Funding for the project has been provided by the Welsh Government’s Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
To learn more about addressing cattle lameness, here is Sara Pendersen, cow health and production specialist discussing the key points of cattle lameness following our recent series of events.
Or, why not try our Cattle lameness E-learning course? Visit our E-learning page on our website for more information.