Steps You Can Take to Reduce Lameness in Dairy Cattle

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Posted: November 10, 2009

Lameness in dairy cattle is one of the biggest problems that dairy producers face today. There are many different areas of cow care that can affect their health, either directly or indirectly. Increasing the amount of time that a cow is lying instead of standing is one area that is especially beneficial. Not only does lying time help reduce the likelihood of lameness, it also has other benefits that contribute towards the overall health of the cow. However, it is also necessary to provide the cow with the best surface and the correctly designed stall to make standing time safe as well.

Disease and injury are the causes of lameness in cows and these can result in several ways from an inappropriately designed stall. Standing on a concrete floor will increase the occurrence of sole lesions, which are an indication of hoof damage. It can also lead to lameness, especially if not detected early on. When the surface of the stall is wet and is not maintained regularly, the risk of hoof lesions and lameness are increased.

The size of the stall is an important feature in the overall design. A large enough stall will encourage a cow to stand fully inside while standing and encourage her to spend appropriate lying time. When a cow stands half in and half out of the stall in a perch, then the back hooves are exposed to more feces and urine that can cause hoof lesions. Providing enough room to encourage the cow to remain fully in the stall, either lying or standing, is the first step towards preventing lameness.

Nothing will make a greater difference to the stall area than the surface. Rubber mats, which are usually made from recycled tires, are made to work as a subsurface for stalls. They provide cushioning for the cow that they will not get from the bedding from a material that is durable and water resistant. However, you must also keep bedding on top of the rubber mat in order to provide a good resting surface. Maintaining the surface is the next important step to preventing lameness. Old bedding needs to be raked and the mats cleaned off regularly before being replaced by fresh bedding. Fresh clean bedding will encourage cows to spend more time lying in the style and will eliminate the feces and urine that can cause them to develop sole ulcers on their hooves.

Rubber mats that are placed in front of the feed bunk will cause cows to spend more time standing there than those who must stand on concrete to eat. Having a surface that is comfortable for them to stand on will make all of their activities safer and more comfortable. Soft, textured rubber will provide them with a cushioned support that also has good traction. Rubber is a durable material that will last for a long time and doesn’t lose its cushion. Only a small percentage of problems that lead to lameness in cows can be noticed normally by observing them. While most dairy producers will recognize when a cow is reluctant to bear weight on a specific limb or is exhibiting bobbing of the head and taking short strides, there may be only subtle differences it the gait that are difficult, if not impossible, to detect.

Until more sensitive methods are developed to detect and treat lameness in its early stages, prevention is the best measure you can take. Design stalls that are large enough to make cows spend more time with all four feet inside. Provide them with a surface of rubber mats topped with adequate bedding that is changed regularly and rake stalls regularly to prevent puddles from forming which can lead to lesions and lameness in your dairy cattle. You should also keep a regular check on each cow for sole lesions and take measures to prevent them from increasing in severity.

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