Diagnosis and Treatment of Hoof Deformity in Dairy Cows: A Must-Read for Farmers

Hoof disease in dairy cows is a common disease in dairy production. In mild cases, it causes lameness in dairy cows; in severe cases, it causes paralysis. If not taken seriously, it will increase production costs and reduce economic benefits. Clinical hoof deformity refers to a change in the shape of the dairy cow's hoof. Because the shapes presented after hoof deformity occurs differ, it can be clinically divided into three types: long hoof, wide hoof, and rolled hoof.

Causes

(1) An unbalanced diet, with insufficient supply of the mineral feed calcium and phosphorus or an improper ratio, leads to a disorder of phosphorus and calcium metabolism in the dairy cow's body and an imbalance in the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, causing hoof deformity.

(2) Hoof deformity disease has a certain relationship with the milk yield of dairy cows; generally, cows with higher individual milk production have a higher incidence. This is mainly because, in pursuit of milk yield, farmers excessively increase the amount of concentrated feed in the feed, while coarse feed intake is too low and its quality is too poor, and the ratio of concentrate to coarse feed is improper. This keeps the dairy cow's body in a state of acidosis for a long time, causing laminitis and leading to hoof deformity.

(3) Improper feeding and management. The cow shed is dark and damp, the exercise yard is muddy, and manure and urine are not cleaned up in time. The cow's hooves are soaked in manure, urine, and muddy water for a long time, causing the hoof horn to soften and deform. In production, no attention is paid to protecting cow hooves and they are not trimmed regularly, which also easily causes hoof deformity.

(4) Hoof deformity is related to the heredity of the bull. If a bull has congenital hoof deformity, then its offspring are also highly susceptible to the disease.

Symptoms

(1) Long hoof: also called elongated hoof, meaning that the two lateral claws of the hoof exceed the length of normal hoof claws, and the hoof horn extends excessively forward, appearing long in shape.

(2) Wide hoof: the length and width of the two lateral claws of the hoof both exceed those of normal hoof claws, and the appearance is large and wide, so it is also called a “large plate hoof”. The horny part of this type of hoof is relatively thin, and the heel part is relatively low. When standing and walking, the front edge of the hoof does not bear weight solidly and turns slightly upward, and it is not suitable for return.

(3) Rolled hoof: the sole of the medial or lateral claw of the hoof rolls up. Viewed from the sole, the outer edge is excessively worn, the dorsal part of the hoof has rolled over and become sole, the horn near the hoof fork is thickened, and wear is uneven, so the sole bears weight unevenly. The hind limb below the hock often leans outward, forming an “X” shape. In severe cases, the sick cow's two hind limbs extend backward, and the sick cow arches its back and has difficulty walking, showing a dragging style, which is called “rolled hooves and exposed soles, dragging hindquarters”.

Diagnosis

Based on the clinical manifestations, namely the condition of hoof deformity, a diagnosis can be confirmed.

Prevention and Treatment

Drug treatment cannot restore deformed hooves to normal. Clinically, hoof trimming therapy is often used, and corresponding methods are adopted for trimming according to the different degrees of hoof change. Therefore, the key to preventing and treating this disease lies in good prevention. In production, attention should be paid to strengthening the feeding and management of dairy cows and giving full attention to the supply of protein and minerals. According to the lactation status of dairy cows, the diet should be reasonably formulated; especially for high-yielding dairy cows, adjustments and supplements should be made at any time according to their milk production. Once the hoof shape begins to change, vitamin D3 can be injected, and calcium powder can be added to the diet to prevent it from worsening. For the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, generally 1.4:1 can achieve a positive balance of phosphorus and calcium metabolism.

Generally, first-calving cows that are over-milked (exceeding 6000 kg) have a higher incidence, so they should not be fed a partial diet or preferentially fed, simply pursuing high yield. If a dairy cow shows phenomena such as arching the back and dragging the hindquarters due to high yield, and it is a cow with an initial onset, milking should be stopped early to promote recovery of the body.

At the same time, attention should also be paid to trimming the hooves of dairy cows regularly. To prevent the hooves from being soaked by manure, urine, and filth, the cow's hooves should always be kept clean (dry brushing in winter, wet brushing in summer), and the exercise yard should be cleaned in time and kept dry. The hoof shape of the entire herd should be generally surveyed every year, and a regular hoof trimming system should be established. All deformed hooves should be trimmed, 1 to 2 times per year. To prevent hoof infection, hoof trimming should not be carried out during the rainy season. The selection and breeding of breeding bulls should be effectively strengthened. If a dairy cow's hoof deformity is related to a bull, consideration may be given to no longer using that bull for breeding.