Thursday, 01 December 2016 06:55

Cows must put their best feet forward

Written by 
“The Hoofman’ Johan Buys. “The Hoofman’ Johan Buys.

A race car with the best engine is never going to win unless the tyres allow it to get power to the ground, and dairy cows should be looked at in a similar light, says ‘The Hoofman’ – Johan Buys.

For a cow to be productive, fertile and able to walk 3km daily from paddock to shed she has to be right on her ‘pins’, he points out.

Buys’ mission is to help dairy and beef farmers understand the need for the weight bearing capacity of hooves to be maximised by animals’ good posture; this promotes their mobility, alleviates pain and helps them realise their full production potential.

Buys says research by DairyNZ shows cows with ‘poor’ feet can pass up $385 worth of annual production and fertility.

And he says farmers must start looking at cows as high performance ‘individuals’, rather than as a herds, then intervene early to prevent or eliminate ongoing problems. This might be as simple as watching for asymmetrical toes, which indicate a cow is favouring one side of the hoof against the other; this can be easily rectified and costs less than administering antibiotics.

Buys says this season he has seen lameness as high as 25% in herds. And he refers to evidence suggesting that a pre-season spike in facial eczema has led to metabolic problems, compounded by increased pathogens in persistent wet weather, hindering animals fighting infections and so contributing to lameness.

Important in The Hoofman’s treatment regime is a Dutch Wopa cattle crush supplied by Veehoof, Ashburton. It weighs about 1.5 tonnes and can deal with all animals including the largest bulls.

The Wopa SA0051 unit is towable, and carries its own hydraulic system aimed at making hoof treatment stress-free for the operator and the animal.

Once set up it needs only an electric power feed from the shed.

Cattle enter via a feeder race onto a flat rubber floor in the body of the crush. As they move forward, a laser device detects the head passing through the bail and it locks automatically. For ease of use the operator can activate functions from the rear of the feeder race, ensuring safe operation and avoiding getting his toes crushed.

Once the animal is safely secured the floor is raised on four hydraulics jacks to bring the animal to a comfortable working height for the operator, and its legs are lifted by a hydraulic hook system which works around the knee joint rather than
the more typical ankle area.

Buys says he can do routine or remedial treatment on 12-13 cows per hour. He always treats all four feet for balance and to prevent cows favouring a ‘good’ leg.

Treatment is by high speed power tools initially, then handtools are used to relieve pressure and drain infected areas. If intervention is necessary, wood blocks are fitted to the alternate claw to take aid recovery and take pressure off the heel.

Because bovine feet grow at about 1mm per week, and because an animal needs 3-4mm sole depth for healthy feet, 15mm thick, Dutch oak foot blocks are bonded to claws with epoxy glue, allowing around four-five weeks before they wear down, and allowing the hoof to heal.

Buys says the crush, which cost about $80,000, has been used for two years to treat 24,000 animals, trouble-free.

Typical cost to the farmer is about $30 per beast for preventative care and $80 per animal for remedial work.

www.thehoofman.co.nz 

More like this

People expos set to return

Building on the success of last year's events, the opportunity to attend People Expos is back for 2025, offering farmers  the chance to be inspired and gain more tips and insights for their toolkits to support their people on farm.

DairyNZ supports vocational education reforms

DairyNZ is supporting a proposed new learning model for apprenticeships and traineeships that would see training, education, and pastoral care delivered together to provide the best chance of success.

Editorial: GMO furore

OPINION: Submissions on the Government's contentious Gene Technology Bill have closed.

DairyNZ seeks more cash

For the first time in 17 years, DairyNZ wants farmers to contribute more cash to run the industry-good organisation.

Featured

High commodity prices, farmer optimism bode well for event

The 2025 South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) chairman, Rangiora farmer Andrew Stewart, is predicting a successful event on the back of good news coming out of the farming sector and with it a greater level of optimism among farmers.

Accident triggers traffic alert in barns, sheds

WorkSafe New Zealand is calling on farmers to consider how vehicles move inside their barns and sheds, following a sentencing for a death at one of South Canterbury’s biggest agribusinesses.

People expos set to return

Building on the success of last year's events, the opportunity to attend People Expos is back for 2025, offering farmers  the chance to be inspired and gain more tips and insights for their toolkits to support their people on farm.

SustaiN lands NZ registration

Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser SustaiN – which contains a urease inhibitor that reduces the amount of ammonia released to the air – has now been registered by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). It is the first fertiliser in New Zealand to achieve this status.

National

Miraka CEO steps down

The chief executive of Taupo-based dairy company, Miraka – Karl Gradon - has stepped down from the role for personal…

Machinery & Products

Bigger but not numb

When you compare a RAM 1500 or Chevrolet Silverado to a Ford Ranger or a Toyota Hilux, you will understand…

Good just got great

Already well respected in the UTV sector for performance, reliability and a competitive price point, CFMOTO has upped the ante…

Nedap NZ launch

Livestock management tech company Nedap has launched Nedap New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

O Canada

OPINION: Donald Trump's focus on Canada is causing concern for the country’s dairy farmers.

Plant-based fad

OPINION: The fact that plant-based dairy is struggling to gain a market foothold isn’t deterring new entrants.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter