Healthy hooves abound in the Vet Med barn

You won’t find many sore feet here. Close attention to details like nutrition, moisture on walkways and stall conditions has paid off for the School of Veterinary Medicine’s dairy teaching herd. At 6.5 percent, the herd’s lameness rate is well below the 20-25 percent of cows in most herds that need attention for sore feet.

“This is the lowest figure I’ve seen in Wisconsin,” says Nigel Cook, a production medicine veterinarian at the school who regularly provides maintenance care for the herd. Sore feet are distracting for cattle, causing them to produce less milk and lowering their fertility rate, neither of which is good for the bottom line. Cook says the healthy environment (including nutrition, barn design and housing conditions) enhances food animal productivity.

Constant vigilance is required, both to keep the environment comfortable for the cows and to detect problems early. At the veterinary school, cows are constantly monitored for lameness problems, and affected cows are treated promptly.

Regular hoof-trimming helps prevent problems. Cook routinely arranges informal labs with students, giving them the opportunity to learn about foot maintenance.

The vigilance has paid off. With fewer sore feet, the herd’s production levels remain high.