subject: How Far To Model A Cow Hoof [print this page] Im a producer who learned basic cow hoof trimming techniques from my father. He taught me that the sole of the hoof has to be fully dished-out, because pasture cows in a natural environment invariably show this cow hoof form. I am wondering: is this really the best way to trim for my cows that are now housed on cement floors most of the time?
There is some truth to your dads teachings regarding cow hoof trimming and I would like to illustrate this by drawing two scenarios in your mind.
A. The fact is: the cow hoof of a pasture cow has little, if any, sole horn. (In this category, I would like to include dry cows and heifers that are kept in a dry environment.) This sole horn gets so dry that it flakes and falls out. However, the wall horn is different; this part of the cow hoof is a harder structure and remains intact most of the time. Imagine this pasture hoof, the wall of the hoof will sink down into the dirt until the bottom of the sole is also carrying weight. The weight is now distributed over the whole surface. We call this a cow hoof footprint. This scenario also takes place when you walk barefoot on a beach: your footprint in the sand feels relaxing, because your foot sinks in so far that your whole foot carries the weight, even the arch, and the sand fills the gaps. This scenario can be called the natural cow hoof environment and the claw adjusts to it. Now imagine a claw on a cement floor.
B. A shaped cow hoof, with only the wall on the outside of the claw, will never sink down in cement as it did on the soft natural surface. This means that there is a tremendous weight load on the walls. The sole hangs above the concrete flooring, never touching the surface, and thus it never carries any weight. However, the pedal bone, which is the bone in the cow hoof, stands on the sole. At this point, we may see some lameness occurring, when pasture hooves come into a new environment. Be careful to prevent lameness and provide these animals with timely trimming adjustments and environmental changes. Ask your local trimmer or veterinarian for further advice.
Finally, Ill briefly touch on the trimming part; namely, how far should we shape or model the sole of a claw? To compensate and fill the void that we described above, you have to leave enough sole horn to produce counter pressure on the cow hoof. Balancing the two claws for weight distribution is most important and should be done regularly. A slight modeling is a great way to determine if there are problems looming; these potential problems can thereby be prevented from escalating into large problems. Nevertheless, overdoing this modeling of a cow hoof, even up to the wall, will produce counter effects on cement flooring. It is better to play it safe, or you will run the risk of causing lameness.
Please feel free to forward any further questions on cow hoof trimming to questions@allabouthooves.com .
