A32-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 21,1998 Belleville Hoof Trimming Clinic Draws A Large Crowd GAIL STROCK Mifflin Co. Correspondent BELLEVILLE (Mifflin Co.) In the push for higher and higher milk production per cow, dairy producers often walk a fine line between maximizing profits and risking animal health. Unfortun ately. farmers often share that path with a lame cow. When hoof trim mer Paul Neer from Belleville, Mifflin County, began noticing more and more cows with sore feet, he organized a prevention and awareness clinic. He enlisted the help of Michael Lormore, a veterinarian with Monsanto, and Christopher Can ale, director of Technical Services with Agway, to talk about foot health through rumen health. It’s a sore subject farmers are growing more concerned about —over 250 people showed up. “I’ve been a hoof trimmer for over eight years,” began Neer. “In the last year and a half, foot trou ble has virtually exploded. We hoof trimmers, veterinarians, milk haulers all depend on the dairy men. When I see this kind of trou ble, it’s tune to talk about preven tion and awareness.” Research shows that laminitis is one of the most significant sources of lameness in dairy cattle. Lami nitis is an inflammation in “one of the narrow thin parallel plates of soft vascular sensitive tissues that cover the flesh within the wall of the hoof.” Nutrition is recognized as a major cause. “It’s all about rumen function,” says Lormoie. “Good feedbunk health. Laminitis is metabolic and is far more expensive than an in Jersey Production Nominations REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio Entries for the Leading Living Life time Production awards are due in the office of the American Jersey Cattle Association by March 1, 1998. DHIR records only are eligible. Minimum production levels for nominations are 150,000 pounds milk and/or 7,500 pounds fat and/or 5,000 pounds protein Cows alive as of De cember 31,1997 are eli gible for die contest Leading Living Life time winners for 19% are, for protein, Glen Meadows Maple Sweetnes owned by Glen Meadows Farm, Fultonvillc, N.Y., with 9,636 pounds; for milk. Maplerow Mercury Aron-PTL-P, owned by Peggy A. Bennett, Alb ion, N.Y., with 268,070 pounds; and for fit, Maplerow Mercury Aron-PTL-P, owned by Peggy A. Bennett, Al bion, N.Y., with 12,305 pounds. The Lifetime Milk trophy is sponsored by Ogston Farm, Colum bus, NJ.; the Lifetime Fat trophy is sponsored by High Lawn Farm, Lenox, Mass.; and Edy vean Farm, Hughson, Calif., is sponsoring the Lifetime Protein award. In addition, awards will fection. Regular foot trimming is an important part in managing a herd. Laminitis will be a big prob lem in the next 10 years, as we push toward 35,000-pound herd averages and get feed into the cows for energy. Laminitis will be a major problem.” Canale agrees. “Through man agement technology and strategy nutrition, forages, health and cow comfort— we can control ru men health. Taking care of the rumen can help feet It’s a disease of management.” In laymen’s terms, the problem can begin with when a cow is fed excessive fermentable carbohy drates. finely chopped forage, and slug grain. Some metabolic and digestive disorders, hormonal changes, and infectious diseases can add to the problem, as well as environmental aspects such as lack of or little bedding, hard stall surfaces, lack of exercise, or too much exercise on improper sur faces. According to Dr. LE. Nocek erf the Spruce Haven Research Cen ter in Union Springs, New York, carbohydrates make up approxi mately 70 to 80 percent of the dairy cow’s radon. The level and availability in a cow’s radon can have significant impact on rumen metabolism. Increases in the amount of concentrate or ferment able carbohydrates decreases sali va production, an important factor in neutralizing acids produced by ruminal fermentation. A related study came to this conclusion; “Cows fed high con centrates had more lameness, of milk, fat, and protein winners. You make the 5210 Package ... We’ll Make the First Three Monthly Lease Payments q V \ m is —^ greater severity and duration, with sole lesions being the major prob lem. However, cows fed more grain produced 3.2 kg more milk/ day with .06 percentage units higher milk protein.” High levels of rumen degrad able protein has been shown to increase lameness and laminitis in several studies conducted in the late ’Bos and early ’9os. As for forages, particle length is required to ensure proper rumen function. In an evaluation con ducted at Penn State, Jud Hein richs concluded that “Reduced forage particle size has been shown to decrease the time spent chewing and cause a trend toward decreased rumen pH. When cows spend less time chewing, there is a decrease in the volume of saliva Landis Bros., Inc. 2710 Mt. Joy Rd. Manheim, PA 17545 1-800-524-3276 717-653-2340 1-800-327-6524 717-228-2650 Paul Neer leads discussion about the need for hoof trimming to keep daily animals In good physical condition. FOR ONLY $299 ■.■iii.i.uf you can lease a NEW 5210 2WD Tractor with a 520 Loader ana a 45 Rear Blade EEB a 616 Rotary Cutter With a JDC'“ Promise Lease ” 'ebruary 16th through truary 28th, 1998 /.heel on .1 -io-month Pioiiiisdn.ise lioins m .in cwinpi-piopciu st.itu lown p.iuncnt 01 li.idoin ol L'qu.il ■spiK’s I diui.in 2S 1998 A\ .nl.thk' mi” |ohn noon.' tk.ilns m < ] DP KN Ml Ml) \\\ Ml Ml M M )ll P\ KI \ I .incl \\\ Suh|ul to loliii Dine (lull! ippioi.il I Mini.ilul sdlinu piiu. is suhirit id di.mm ami iquipniuii opiums >4* # wmm «p- m-m «r- produced needed to buffer the nunc.” Nocek concludes, “Nutrition and laminitis are linked tdhrough imbalances in carbohydrate nutri tion: overload of ruminally fer mentable carbohydrate in con junction with inadequate effective fiber. The sub-clinical phase of both disease processes is most costly and damaging because they are often dismissed for other prob lems, allowing the disease to pro gress to an irreversible chronic phase. Since the highest incidence of laminitis is detected during the first 30 to 40 days post-partum, it is also associated with the occur rence of infectious and metabolic diseases, as well as environmental stress. It is important to profitably manage acidosis and laminitis since both are a consequence of 30 Evergreen Rd. Lebanon, PA 17042 maximizing energy intake, milk production, and found in well managed herds. Critical areas of management include: feeding and management practices, attention to cow comfort, routine hoof trim ming (twice/year), maintenance of adequate body condition, etc.” As news of the hoof-trimming clinic spread, families filled the auction area at Kish Valley Dairy Sales in Belleville, owned by Sherm Click. Paul Neer intro duced retired classifier Paul Miller who spoke about breeding strength back into herds. The group then moved outside for hoof trimming demonstrations on several cows with various foot problems. Neer urged farmers to learn the difference between warts, corns, and foot rot and to look for hemorrhaging. 5210 2WD Tractor w/collar shift/dual remote Estimated Selling Price Down Payment Lease Amount Monthly Payment Purchase Option 5210 2WD Tractor w/520 Loader Estimated Selling Price Down Payment Lease Amount Monthly Payment Purchase Option 5210 2WD Tractor w/520 Loader/45 Rear Blade Estimated Selling Price Down Payment Lease Amount Monthly Payment Purchase Option 5210 2WD Tractor w/520 Loader/Gl6 Rotary Cutter Estimated Selling Price Down Payment Lease Amount Monthly Payment Purchase Option JOHN DEERE CREDIT rrwiw $ 18,362 $ 18,362 * 299 $ 12,980 $ 21,713 $ 2,504 $ 19,209 • 299 $ 14,175 $ 22,153 $ 2,821 $ 19,332 * 299 $ 14,348 $ 22,295 $ 3,647 $ 19,648 • 299 $ 14,794 ■ prau* to
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