Do stones really cause a problem for cows?
We recently held another Hoof Care Expo and the theme was “Are stones really an issue for your cows?” It amazes me how convinced people are that stones can penetrate hooves and that bruises in the hoof are caused by
Benefits and options of claw blocks
Do you understand the benefits of claw blocks? It is quite interesting what sort of responses farmers give to this question. Some think they are wonderful, some think they are too expensive, some struggle to make them stick on for
What is Preventative Hoof Trimming?
What is preventative hoof trimming? I have been on farms where they had done their own preventative hoof trimming during the year. When I started doing my trimming I had to explain what I was doing and it turned out
Not all trimming is equal
Can hoof trimming have a negative effect on a cow? If so, how would you know? I guess most farmers don’t spend too much time thinking about that. To me, it seems that hoof trimming is perceived as a job
Insufficient resting time and Lameness
We have had a lot of response to my last article. Most people seem to agree that we do have laminitis, however it appears that the perception is that the main cause of laminitis is related to feeding issues yet
Laminitis – it is a real problem
I have just been running some trimming workshops on the West Coast and found myself regularly confronted with the continuing acceptance that physical force is the main contributor to lameness in New Zealand, together with a reluctance to accept that
Does anyone use cowslips?
Does anyone use cowslips and what are your thoughts? This is a question I saw on a forum the other day. It is quite interesting what sort of responses farmers gave. Some thought they were wonderful, some thought they were
Three steps to Preventative Hoof Trimming
Last month I was talking about the importance of preventative hoof trimming. This month I would like to go through the three steps of preventative hoof trimming, also known as functional hoof trimming. The aim is to have the cow
Understanding Hoof Trimming
What is preventative hoof trimming? I have been on farms where they had done their own preventative hoof trimming during the year. When I started doing my trimming I had to explain what I was doing and it turned out
Mating and Lameness
How is your mating going? I was doing an AI run again this year so I thought it be a good idea to talk a bit about lameness that is more specific to this time of the year – that