AHEAD IN ANIMAL HEALTH
7-points claw-health improvement plan Menno Holzhauer Royal GD, Deventer, The Netherlands
Lameness in dairy cows results in reduced milk production, fertility, durability and decreased animal welfare. This also results in extra labour and frustration for the farmer. Only a consequent and structural approach makes claw-health control in dairy herds possible.
7
Pay attention to claw health when selecting bulls. Cull cows with recurring (≥3 times) hoof disorder.
6
1
Maintenance of clean and dry environment and comfortable cubicles/pens
Manage body condition: 3-3.5 at calving (BCS on a 1-5 scale) max. reduction BCS 0.5-1 point after calving.
2
3
Use strategic hoof trimming approach: all cows before dry off + 2-3 months after start lactation (record data)
Treat lame cows immediately (record data)
4 5
Use selective disinfection of hooves depending on herd’s digital dermatitis status
Optimize nutrition (vit, minerals and trace elements) to improve immunity, skin and claw-horn quality *Holzhauer and Van Egmond 2019
m.holzhauer@gdanimalhealth.com www.gdanimalhealth.com
GD2646/07-22