Advanced Robot’s experience means they are always challenging me to get the best out of the cows, they maintain the herd’s health status whilst also improving performance.
Research into practice: Lameness
Lameness is a complex, multi factorial issue - but by understanding the latest research and advice, producers can get on top of it. British Dairying reports on seven key messages to take away from the Lameness in Ruminants conference in Venice, Italy.
There may not be many cows in Venice, but that didn't stop it from hosting the 22nd International Symposium on Lameness. Bringing together researchers, vets and industry experts from all over the world, the event shared cutting-edge insights for improving mobility and reducing lameness on farm.
Eoghan Mullery, Technical Director and Greg Leishman, Ruminant Nutritionist from Advanced Ruminant Nutrition attended the conference as part of their commitment to translating cutting-edge research on lameness prevention into practical solutions on farm.
"Lameness affects nutrition, cow performance and profitability, so a whole farm, whole team approach is needed. However, as Miel Holstein challenged at the conference – there is a huge amount of evidence to show that we can significantly reduce lameness, yet it remains a huge bottleneck on many farms.”
“We are seeing progress on the farm’s we work with, but it can be a slow process,” comments Greg. “We encourage our clients to invest in facilities to improve cow comfort, walking surfaces, education staff on cow handling. However, we need keep pushing for more and understand why it isn’t always progressing on farm,” comments Greg.
“We’ve seen on farms, a collaborative approach to tackling lameness can certainly help. Working together with the farmer, herd manager, vet, foot trimmer and nutritionist, creating a plan and all working towards the same goals,” says Eoghan.
Farm Dynamics' Sara Pederson, whose extensive research on lameness has been pivotal in translating scientific findings into practical solutions for UK dairy farms, agrees.
“The sheer volume of information and, at times, lots of contrasting views, can be overwhelming or confusing and farmers don’t always know where to start tackling lameness on their ow farm," she says.
"This is why it's so important that the whole team is on board and their is consistency in messaging. Conferences like Lameness in Ruminants are fantastic at bring forward fresh ideas and perspectives. However, a collaborative approach is then needed to firstly consider whether these will be beneficial for the individual farm and, if so, how to practically implement them."
So, what were the key messages to take away?
- The role of NSAIDs in treatment
“If we go back 10 years, there was a real emphasis on antibiotics for treatment, but this has now really shifted. The conference highlighted the benefit of NSAIDs, not only for improved recovery, but also in reducing the knock-on effects on fertility,” comments Sara. - Easy wins through genetics
These are primarily through incorporating lameness indices in our genetic selection. “In the UK we are lucky to have Lameness Advantage and Digital Dermatitis Advantage.” - More and more the research is showing the need to focus on heifers
“Once they enter the herd lame, we've lost the battle. Therefore, greater emphasis needs to be put on our growing heifers to ensure they enter the herd as resilient as possible to hoof health challenges.” Sara presented her own research on the benefits of pre-calving trims, so there’s nobody better equipped to comment on this!
- Mobility Scoring
This was introduced with a focus on early detection and prompt effective treatment. Greg comments, “By mobility scoring, we work together with the farm team to pick out cows that would benefit from treatment before they are obviously lame.”
- Pressure, the Pedal Bone, and Hoof Health
The critical takeaway? Reducing pressure on the pedal bone is vital for maintaining long-term hoof health. The fat pad, which cushions the pedal bone, plays an essential role in this. When ketosis or other metabolic conditions compromise the fat pad, hoof pressure can lead to significant problems. The "Big Model" Trim
technique is designed to alleviate pressure on the sole and is particularly useful for cows housed on concrete. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. For cows with low heel depth, a deep trim can exacerbate the problem. In these cases, a soft wedge block is a better option to relieve pressure and prevent heel ulcers.
- Bandage or not to bandage?
Interestingly the research showed evidence of the potential negative impact that bandages can have on recovery from lesions. We need to really consider how long to leave them on or indeed if they should be bandaged at all.
- Nutrition's Role in Hoof Health
Zinpro presented some interesting research that examined the effect of the Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio in transition cow diets on fat pad health. “Additionally, isoacids were highlighted as a promising nutritional tool and one that we’ve been using on a number of our client’s farms with good effect”, explains Eoghan. “These compounds have been shown to improve digestibility, increase blood glucose, and enhance fibre digestion, which is particularly important during periods of heat stress or for transition cows. If we can reduce the effect that heat stress has on the cows through nutrition, then we increase the ability for the cow to maintain performance, body condition and rumen health, leading to less pressure on the cow. In turn this increases her lying time, reducing the pressure on the feet.”
Mineral supplementation and calcium management around calving plays an important role in reducing hoof inflammation. Eoghan adds, “We should always be aiming for 0% lameness in the dry cow group.”
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