Lameness problems

[DairyShorthorn2020]

We seem to be having a problem with sole ulcers and white line. The cows do alot of sharp 90 degree turns and 180 degree turns around the yard aswell as out at grass.
What can we put down on the sharp bends. Would astro turf help?

 

[Jdunn55]

We seem to be having a problem with sole ulcers and white line. The cows do alot of sharp 90 degree turns and 180 degree turns around the yard aswell as out at grass.
What can we put down on the sharp bends. Would astro turf help?

Rubber matting

 

[How Dairy]

We seem to be having a problem with sole ulcers and white line. The cows do alot of sharp 90 degree turns and 180 degree turns around the yard aswell as out at grass.
What can we put down on the sharp bends. Would astro turf help?

Take care of astro turf, I heard that they are 'looking at it' from a microplastics point of view.

I saw this and wonder if it is worth looking at? https://ahdb.org.uk/confident-strides

Not sure where you are but crushed chalk was always quite good on the start of tracks. If you have stones though, do you have a yard brush? Are you 'pushing' the cows as if so, they don't really choose where to put their feet. How long are they on their feet for milking? What age are the cows when they first get lame? There are loads of things to consider.

You also need to think about when your preventative trims are. A trim pre dry off and one close to peak is sensible. Sole ulcers are usually from standing or walking too long and the bruising gets worse if the pressure isn't taken off and feet rebalanced. White lines are twists and turns etc. There is research that shows that pain relief at calving can reduce the chances of lameness for life.

 

[Scholsey]

Biotin in feed

 

[Farmer Keith]

mayo matts on the cubicles solved sole ulcers here, since putting them in in 2012 we rarely see a sole ulcer, white line here is track linked, bits of grit etc forcing itself in, we put a bit of Astro down but it’s too slippy for our hilly platform so lifted most of it back up. Annual trim and trying to keep on top of washed out bits of track is where we are at to control it.

 

[DairyShorthorn2020]

Biotin in feed

I know you can get it in a Bolus. Don't know whether it would do same job

 

[Scholsey]

I know you can get it in a Bolus. Don't know whether it would do same job

Certainly something I would look at and it works quite quickly.

 

[lazy farmer]

We seem to be having a problem with sole ulcers and white line. The cows do alot of sharp 90 degree turns and 180 degree turns around the yard aswell as out at grass.
What can we put down on the sharp bends. Would astro turf help?

Here cows move at there own pace. We have rubber matting on the parlour exit where they turn 180 degrees. Our tracks are concrete or concrete sleepers. Prevention first and always. We have used biotin in the past and saw a 50% reduction in white line. But it’s not cheap and it’s treating a symptom rather than preventative.
Sole ulcers are commonly underwear rather than over growth so preventative trims are required. As above trim at drying off and we do around a third of the herd through the season if they appear to be underworn. Ulcers I suggest have little to do with the turning the cows are doing.

 

[jimmer]

Biotin in feed

Snake oil for most especially anyone grazing

 

[Scholsey]

Snake oil for most especially anyone grazing

Wouldn’t have thought sole ulcers/WLD would be an issue for grazing type herds, thought they were more symptoms of concrete.