m
Feet and Legs
Feet and leg problems can
cause cows to leave the herd pre
maturely. Many of the feet and leg
problems may also be responsible
for cows being culled for low pro
duction and poor reproduction.
Thus, the records may not truly
reflect the real reason why cows
had to be culled. If cows’ feet are
hurting, they won’t display strong
heats; nor will they be anxious to
walk to the manger or pasture for
feed. Thus, milk production suf
fers. If this causes cows to become
too thin, heat expression, ovary
activity and conception also may
be affected.
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Daily
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By
Glenn A. Shirk
Extension
Dairy
Agent
We see a considerable number
of cows with puffy hocks and stiff
joints. A lot of times I hear these
problems being blamed on rubber
mats, stall beds and concrete
stress, which is probably true in
many cases. But, 1 also wonder
how many of these puffy hocks
are related to hoof injuries, where
infections enter via the hoof and
eventually spread upward to the
leg joints. If this is the case,
changes we’ve made in housing
and feeding over the past ten years
or so could be a major contribut
ing factor, one that perhaps we
tend to overlook.
Cows and heifers are more con-
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kssMuls
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I PURINA CHDWS |
fined. They spend more time
standing on concrete and in slop
(manure and urine). Their feet sel
dom have an opportunity to dry
off, and they become predisposed
to a variety of injuries and
infections.
We’re also feeding more grain,
more chopped and ensiled feeds,
and using more fats and oils or oil
seeds in our rations. As we feed
more grain and less forage cows’
rumens become more acid. The„
problem is compounded when the
forages that we do feed are also
chopped and ensiled.
Chopping forages finely
reduces the effectiveness of the
fiber in the ration, and cows spend
less time chewing, their cuds.
Cows’ saliva production and
rumen buffering activity are
reduced, and the rumen becomes
more acid. Resultant acidosis
problems can cause foot problems
such as laminitis or founder.
These injuries generally are per
manent in nature. Cows can be
treated for these injuries to give
them some temporary relief, but
they seldom ever recover
completely.
Fats and oils that are added to
the ration coat the surface area of
forage particles, making them
more difficult for rumen microbes
to digest If too much fat and oil is
fed, or if additional forages of suf-
Rt.B2
Unionville, PA 18375
(215)347-2377
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 29,1990-Al9
ficient particle length and digesti
bility are not fed, the acidosis
related problems discussed earlier
can occur.
As we try to get dry cows and
heifers onto full feed after calving
we may be making ration changes
too suddenly, faster than what the
rumen bacteria and the gut lining
can adjust. This also can cause
foot problems such as founder or
laminitis. Many times, when a
heifer gets these problems, she
won’t eat well because her feet
hurt. She loses flesh, she won’t
milk well, and within six months
of calving, she is out of the herd.
Cows can vary considerably in
size and in forage consumption.
Yet, when we balance rations and
develop feeding programs for the
herd, we frequently assume that
all cows consume equal amounts
of forage and then feed grain on
the basis of that erroneous
assumption. This could be a prob
lem, especially if we are feeding
minimal amounts of forage to
begin with, and then chopping and
ensiling the forage, adding fats
and oils to the ration, not acclimat
ing close-up cattle to grain feeding
prior to calving, feeding a lot of
grain, and introducing large slugs
of grain to an improperly buffered
rumen.
Chances are, a small 1100 lb.
heifer will not eat as much forage
as the average daily intake figure
you used for balancing the ration.
If the heifer’s appetite is sluggish,
and you feed her a little extra grain
to encourage more milk produc
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Ransome Lift
2975 Galloway Road, PA 19020 (215)245-2797
Bensalem, Pa.
Lou Tinarl
215/245-2797
Leyoyne, Pa. Foglesville, Pa. Mt. Laurel, NJ
Steve Costello Eric Antolick Larry Breault
717/763-0980 215/395-7074 609/778-4500
lion and boost weight gains, you
could be aggravating the problem
and setting her up to develop some
foot problems.
Thus, it is important to estimate
cows actual forage intakes as
accurately as reasonably possible,
and to regulate what a cow or heif
er eats m the weeks prior to and
after calving. Make ration changes
slowly over a period of about 3 to
4 weeks. Be sure they gel an abun
dant amount of good quality for
age before and after calving. Be
sure cows are eating adequate
amounts of good quality forage
before worrying about getting
more grain into them.
For many years, we have been
taught to feed cows according to
production, and we learned our
lesson well. However, with
today’s high producing herds, that
could be a mistake, especially in
early lactation. We need to max
imize intake of dry matter and
nutrients, without causing appetite
problems and digestive upsets,
and we need to feed according to
flesh conditions. Once the cow is
in proper flesh, we can then feed
according to production and
growth.
Keep the maternity area clean
and dry. Give dry cows some
relief from concrete stress; let
them have access to a dirt lot or a
well sodded area not a sloppy
lot. Try to house cattle in such a
way that their feet have an oppor
tunity to dry off from time to time.
Trim cows’ feet when necessary,
(Turn to P«fl* AST)
Reedaville, Pa.
Larry Aumlller
717/667-6731
Wilkes Barre, Pa.
Eric Antollck
717/825-2789