Using Foot Scores to Build Better Foundations for Cattle

from February 2022 - Red Angus Magazine

by Macey Mueller for the Red Angus Magazine Cattle spend a lot of time on their feet so it’s easy to see how structural issues in the hoof can negatively affect performance and longevity in a herd.

While extreme cases are often culled on obvious visual evaluation, researchers, breeders and commercial cattlemen alike are continuing their focus on more comprehensive foot scoring and its potential to make directional improvement in foot traits.

Foot Scoring Research

Kansas State University cow-calf extension specialist Dr. Bob Weaber recently worked with a team of researchers to identify the most appropriate system for foot scoring and the genetic relationships between hoof characteristics and limb angulation in Red Angus and Simmental cattle.

The project was jointly funded by the Red Angus Association of America, American Simmental Association and K-State’s Global Food Systems initiative. Overall, heritability estimates in the data set ranged from approximately 0.2 to 0.3, which is similar to the heritability of weaning weight. Weaber said there was a strong genetic correlation between front hoof angle and rear hoof angle (0.88), front hoof depth and rear hoof depth (0.94) and front claw shape and rear claw shape (0.75). Although scores were collected on 13 different traits during the study, Weaber said hoof angle and claw shape are considered adequate and realistic measures for data collection and animal selection.

Researchers also looked at limb angulation and its genetic relationship to hoof structure. They found the front side view (shoulder angle) has a relatively strong genetic correlation with front hoof angle (0.46) and front heel depth (0.45), and rear side view (hock set) has a strong genetic correlation with rear hoof angle (0.72).

“The structure of the animal in terms of shoulder set, the drop from hooks to pins and the hock set does manifest itself in the differences in foot attributes, both phenotypically and genetically; the foot ends up being a reflection of everything above it,” he said. “The correlations between hoof

Although scores were collected on 13 different traits during the study, Weaber said hoof angle and claw shape are considered adequate and realistic measures for data collection and animal selection.

Dr. Bob Weaber

“These strong genetic correlations tell us those traits are under the control of a common set of genes, which helps us make a recommendation to focus on scoring the worst foot rather than a front foot and a rear foot or individual scores on all four feet,” he said.

Structural hoof issues can negatively affect cattle’s performance and longevity in the herd.

and limb traits are relatively strong but not so strong that evaluating limb angulation can replace scoring foot attributes of the animal.”

Data Collection in Seedstock Production

Kansas seedstock producer and current Beef Improvement Federation President Matt Perrier has been addressing foot soundness in his yearling bulls and heifers since 2005 after using an AI sire whose sons exhibited some issues. He now evaluates both claw shape and hoof angle as separate traits in a 1-9 scoring system, with 5 being the ideal and 9 having severely curled toes (claw shape) or shallow heels (hoof angle). The measurements are taken in a dry pen or on concrete to best see the entire hoof and angle as the cattle stand.

Perrier said foundation traits like foot structure can have a huge impact on an animal’s stayability and productivity.

“If a cow or bull has foot issues that affect their ability to travel, graze and breed, then they are likely going to be culled,” he said. “In our herd – like most – if they can’t travel efficiently, they’re probably going to be thinner, lower producing and likely late-bred or open, which is a one-way ticket off of our place.”

Perrier noted that while bad-footed cows can be a headache, a bad-footed bull is likely the most-costly culprit.

“Not only can he pass this trait along to his daughters, but his ability to perform can be impacted immediately,” he said. “There are many factors that determine a bull’s length of service, but in talking with vets and other cow-calf producers across the country, foot soundness has become one of the main reasons for bulls to be culled from the herd, often at way too young of age.

“Every year, we have more customers who factor foot quality and EPDs into their selection matrix. Whether they have had problems themselves or are just being proactive to stave off future issues, they’re paying closer attention than in the past.”

As a retired animal science professor and longtime cattle and hog breeder, Dr. Gordon Jones has paid special attention to foot and leg structure over the years. The Kentucky cattleman said his family’s goal is to produce bulls that will make commercial producers’ operations more profitable and offering structurally sound animals is a key component of customer satisfaction.

“We are very data-driven in everything we do,” he said. “Our approach is to make the feet right so that our bulls can be productive anywhere, whether it’s wet and soft conditions in Florida or rough and mountainous terrain in Montana.”

Jones is responsible for scoring all of his family’s animals each year –

Matt Perrier Dr. Gordon Jones

A bad-footed bull will perpetuate the trait through his progeny, plus his breeding performance will immediately be impacted.

yearling bulls and heifers are scored during the weighing and ultrasounding process, and cows are scored when calf weaning weights are taken, as they also record cow weights and body condition scores at that time. He also pays close attention to cows as he’s rotating pastures and said if a cow is routinely at the end of the line when rotating, it is a good idea to find the reason the cow is moving slowly.

Although foot issues in bulls can be genetic, Jones said they are sometimes caused by feeding high-energy rations during development.

“Hotter rations can cause low-grade acidosis, which can cause the foot to grow differently,” he said. “A bull’s feet can be sound as a yearling, but if he got a little acidosis at some point, those feet may continue to grow in an odd fashion and he’ll be unsound at 2, 3 or 4 years old.”

Application in Commercial Operations

Jared Lee manages a commercial Red Angus ranch an hour west of Fort Worth in the mountains of Palo Pinto County, where the terrain is rough and craggy and cows have to be able to travel.

He said foot structure is an important aspect of overall conformation and he regularly uses foot assessments to annually select 20-25 replacement heifers from both of the ranch’s spring and fall herds.

“Most of the time it’s pretty dry here and they’re going to end up traveling all over, so they have to have a good, hard foot,” he said. “I look for a real symmetrical foot; both halves have to be mirror images of each other.”

“If I see any traveling problems, we will cull that cow early so we don’t have an opportunity later to keep her calf as a replacement.”

Lee also said foot structure is especially important in bulls since they can often be carrying almost twice the weight of a cow.

“When we go to purchase bulls from other breeders, we’re relying on their genetic merit in more than just carcass and growth traits; they know those cattle are going to have to come to our place and perform for us as far as being able to travel around and keep up with the cows.” //