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Assess, Diagnose, PreventThe First Step Dairy Lameness Assessment and Prevention program from Zinpro provides the industry’s first-ever comprehensive assessment of overall lameness risk factors on a dairy to help manage and prevent lameness.

To learn more about the fundamentals of claw trimming, get your copy of Dairy Cattle Claw Trimming Basics. Authors Dr. Jeff DeFrain and Dr. Luis Rodriguez, from Zinpro Corporation, discuss key hoof trimming fundamentals.

Highlights from this article series include: why to trim cow’s feet, understanding anatomy of cow’s feet, functional claw trimming and common mistakes in trimming.

Request your copy by contacting your Zinpro representative.

Trimming Article Available

Find your Zinpro Representative >ZIN1429 Claw Trimming Basics_Generic_FA.indd 1

27/7/11 3:18:49 PM

Welcome! Dairy Now is produced by Zinpro Corp. with contributions from the First Step® team. It focuses on herd health and nutrition with the intent of providing information and tools that support your daily work.

Proper claw trimming forms the foundation of a comprehensive foot health program. By applying certain claw trimming fundamentals, one can help reduce the risk of lameness caused by hoof trimming miscues.

The most widely accepted method of trimming is the Dutch technique (also known as the Toussaint-Raven method). This technique aims to:

• Balance the weight distribution between the inner and the outer claws.

• Restore claw angle by establishing proper length of the hoof dorsal wall.

• Produce a level weight bearing surface across the sole and between the claws.

• Model the axial groove area to improve drainage between the claws and to relieve some of the pressure at the typical sole ulcer site.

In order to complete this technique successfully, some formal training in hoof trimming is essential.

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Six Common Hoof Trimming Mistakes Go >

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New Claw Lesion Survey Results

Hoof Trimming Fundamentals

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Contact your local Zinpro representative to learn more about the basics of functional hoof trimming.

Issue 5: Hoof Trimming

Dairy Now: Hoof TrimmingPage 2

1. The dorsal wall of the claw is trimmed too short.

2. Heel horn is removed on the inner claw of the rear foot.

3. The inside wall is removed at the toe of either inner or outer claw, or both.

4. The sole is sloped toward the axial groove and the weight- bearing surface is made concave.

5. The outer wall is removed at the toe and around the side of the claw.

6. The sole is too thin after trimming.

Maintenance Trimming ScheduleIt is recommended that dairy cows receive a maintenance trim/claw examination at dry-off and again at around 150 days in milk. Cows with longer lactations may need to be trimmed/examined twice during lactation.

For heifers, it is recommended to conduct a maintenance trim at about two months prior to calving. This helps to establish proper claw conformation and gives the heifer time to adjust to any conformation changes before the onset of lactation.

Click on an item below to reveal more information about each trimming mistake.

Dorsal Wall

Coronary Cushion

Coronary Band

BulbSole

Digital Cusion

Left Rear Foot or Right Front Foot

Avoid These Six Common Trimming Mistakes

Coffin Bone and Joint

Interdigital Space

The sole can and should be concave in the modelled

central region of the sole.

White Line

Sole

Wall

Bulb

Claw Anatomy and Terminology

The inner and outer claw should measure 7.5 cm from the coronary band to the toe on Holstein cattle. Measurements shorter than this result in the sole becoming too thin.

1. Dorsal Wall Too Short

ResearchPage 3

Dr. Jeff DeFrain, Zinpro Corporation Research Nutritionist, recently surveyed claw lesion

records from 17 dairies located throughout the U.S. as well as two international herds located in the southern hemisphere. Claw lesion data from approximately 40,900 cows were collected from July 2007 through April 2010.

The objective of this survey was to summarize the presence of common claw lesions on confinement dairies and assess the distribution of lesions by season, lactation number and days in milk.

The collected data provides an initial database for benchmarking of claw lesions in commercial confinement dairies, and revealed a number of key findings that will help consultants, nutritionists and veterinarians to fine-tune their investigation into the risk factors leading to development of the various lesions.

Key Findings:• White line lesion, sole ulcer, toe

ulcer, digital dermatitis and foot rot comprised 93% of lesions for herds recording only lame events and 40% of lesions in herds recording lame and trim events (excluding routine trims with no lesions, 55%).

• The ratio of infectious to non-infectious lesions decreased with increasing lactation number (P < 0.01).

• Digital dermatitis and foot rot were greatest in the first 60 days in milk and differed across parity (P < 0.01).

• Non-infectious lesions were most prevalent during the three months following heat stress, whereas infectious lesions were greatest during the coolest quarter of the year.

• These data indicate that 1) infectious claw lesions predominate in early lactation and during cooler months of the year, and 2) distribution of non-infectious lesions follows a typical lactation curve.

Conclusions:• Infectious claw lesions appear to

be the most troublesome in the first 120 days in milk, especially in lactation one (L1) cows.

• Non-infectious claw lesions were largely associated with lactation two (L2) and lactation three or more (L3+) cows that were either at or near peak milk production.

• These data provide an initial database for benchmarking of claw lesions in commercial confinement dairies.

New Claw Lesions Survey Results

Dairy: Service Date: Trimmer:

FOOT CARE/LAMENESSData Capture Form

Cow ID Whi

te L

ine

Lesio

n (W

) Comments:

Infectious

Sole

Ulce

r (U)

Non-Infectious Follow-Up

Toe

Ulce

r (T)

Digi

tal

Derm

atiti

s (D)

Foot

Rot

(F)

Bloc

k/W

rap

Re-C

heck

Othe

r

952-983-4000 • www.zinpro.com

DataCaptureForm_English.indd 1 4/8/09 11:37:30 AM

The ideal time to assess the prevalence of claw lesions on a dairy is during the hoof trimming process. By gathering lesion information at this time, a dairy can take steps to diagnose any ongoing problems and prevent lesions in the future.

Get started by requesting the First Step® data capture form from your Zinpro representative.

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AN ANALYSIS OF CLAW LESION RECORDS FROM 17 CONFINEMENT DAIRIES

C. Rapp1, M. Bain1 and J.M. DeFrain2 1Zinpro Corporation, Boxmeer, The Netherlands and Eden Prairie, USA

Materials and Methods

•  Visual locomotion scoring has proven useful for determining the severity of lameness on dairies

•  Proper identification of claw lesions is critical to understanding the cause of lameness

•  Limited data are available detailing the major claw lesions affecting confinement dairy herds

Results Introduction

•  Data originated from approximately 40,900 cows from 17 dairies (12 freestall; 3 combination and 2 dirt lot)

•  Herd size ranged from 500 to 6,000 cows in 9 states in the US and 2 international herds located in the southern hemisphere

•  Events occurred from July 2007 through April 2010

•  Data were standardized such that each month was represented only once for each dairy

•  Necessary assumptions:

1.  Repeat events of the same cow ID are possible

2.  Archived events from previous lactations, culls or death loss were excluded

3.  Intensity of data recorded varied across herds

4.  Proper diagnosis of claw lesion type was correct

5.  Treatment of lesions varied across herds

•  Data were analyzed as two separate databases: herds recording only lame events (n=8) and herds recording both lame and trim events (n=9)

Lame Events Only

Objective •  To summarize the prevalence of common claw lesions on

confinement dairies and assess the distribution of lesions by lactation number and days in milk

Lesion Frequency % of Total Digital dermatitis (D) 9944 47.67 Sole ulcer (U) 4392 21.05 White line disease (W) 3601 17.26 Foot rot (R) 930 4.46 Toe ulcer (T) 544 2.61

Lame and Trim Events

Lesion Frequency % of Total

None 15119 54.69 Digital dermatitis 3554 12.86 White line disease 2502 9.05 Sole ulcer 2055 7.43 Toe ulcer 1538 5.56 Foot rot 1327 4.80

Lesion Item W U T D F L1 All cows & lesions, % 4.49 1.88 0.40 21.36 4.80 Within L1, % 13.63 5.70 1.22 64.87 14.58 Across lactation, % 24.19 9.52 14.34 41.69 62.22

L2 All cows & lesions, % 4.65 4.99 0.71 16.02 1.20 Within L2, % 16.86 18.09 2.58 58.11 4.36 Across lactation, % 25.05 25.31 25.37 31.27 15.55

L3+ All cows & lesions, % 9.42 12.84 1.69 13.85 1.72 Within L3+, % 23.83 32.49 4.28 35.06 4.34 Across lactation, % 50.76 65.17 60.29 27.04 22.23

Lesion Item None W U T D F L1 All cows & lesions, % 22.39 2.17 1.20 1.49 5.50 2.00 Within L1, % 64.42 6.25 3.46 4.28 15.82 5.77 Across lactation, % 38.64 22.66 15.28 25.23 40.38 39.41

L2 All cows & lesions, % 17.74 2.70 2.04 1.81 4.73 1.56 Within L2, % 58.00 8.84 6.68 5.92 15.45 5.11 Across lactation, % 30.61 28.18 25.94 30.69 34.69 30.75

L3+ All cows & lesions, % 17.82 4.71 4.63 2.60 3.40 1.52 Within L3+, % 51.39 13.60 13.35 7.49 9.79 4.38 Across lactation, % 30.75 49.16 58.78 44.08 24.93 29.84

0

20

40

60

80

1 - 60

61-1

20

121-

180

181-

240

241-

300

301-

360

361-

420

421-

480

481-

540

541-

600

>601

% w

ithin

eac

h D

IM r

ange

Days in milk

Infectious Non-infectious

0

20

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1 - 60

61-1

20

121-

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181-

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540

541-

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>601

% w

ithin

eac

h D

IM r

ange

Days in milk

Infectious Non-infectious None

Table 1. Distribution of top five lesion types

Table 2. Distribution of top five lesions by lactation number

Figure 1. Distribution of lesion classification by days in milk Figure 2. Distribution of lesion classification by days in milk

Table 3. Distribution of top five lesion types

Table 4. Distribution of top five lesions by lactation number

Conclusions Infectious claw lesions appear to be the most troublesome in the first 120 days in milk, especially in L1 cows. Non-infectious claw lesions were largely associated with L2 and L3+ cows at or near peak milk production. These data provide an initial database for benchmarking of claw lesions in commercial confinement dairies.

Read Full Research Text >

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In The NewsPage 4

Issue #4 Non-Infectious Lesions >

Issue #3 Infectious Lesions >

Issue #2 Lesions and Lameness >

Issue #1 Locomotion Scoring >

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Performance Minerals®, First Step® and Availa®4 are registered trademarks of Zinpro Corp. ©2011 Zinpro Corp. All rights reserved. Dairy now is a publication of Zinpro performance minerals prepareD for its international markets

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10/2011

First Step® Training Session Held in New ZealandZinpro Corporation recently hosted a First Step® Lameness Assessment and Prevention program training session in Ashburton, New Zealand. Fifteen prominent veterinarians and nutritionists from Australia and New Zealand had the opportunity to learn from Zinpro’s team of leading industry lameness experts about key aspects of First Step. They also gained practical on-farm lameness assessment skills while visiting two dairy farms in the Ashburton area.

Key aspects of First Step were taught to veterinarians and nutritionists in New Zealand.

Availa®4 Benefits Dairy OperationsFrom improved lactation performance, udder health, reproduction and overall hoof condition, Availa-4 is backed by multiple research studies showing proven responses and a strong return on investment.