Hoof trimming jobs arise from the need to
combat and, overall, prevent the different pathologies of the bovine foot.
In the dairy cattle it comes being done routinely for
many years, to ensure the comfort of cows and avoid a decrease in milk
production associated with the pain and discomfort that cause these diseases.
However, in the beef meat production, this routine
begins to be important more recently. Due to the important selection endured by meat breeds looking for greater production, as well as the loss of hardiness and therefore minor environmental adaptation, they have
worsened the limbs conformation and it has increased the need to intervene to correct these
problems, which are exacerbated even more when feeding is not properly handled.
In the video we can see trimming performed to a Purebred Limousin sire with oversized claws and lameness in the hind limbs.
The problems in cattle in extensive regime are
basically the same as in dairy cattle, although they differ in prevalence and
severity. A sire with problems within their feet will have difficulties to follow
the cows and to impregnate them. In turn, a walking lamely cow will have troubles getting
pregnant if she can’t support the weight of the sire, and even pain mediators will interfere with reproductive function in addition to other problems.
Figure A: A healthy hoof trimmed. Figure B: a
hoof with subsolar hematoma and an old ulcer on the back edge of the white
line.
There are different types of shoes used to correct various problems. In Figure A you can see how we have placed
two wooden shoes to relieve pressure in the dorsal portion of the wall, in a
bull suffering a laminitis. In Figure B an ulcer in the posterior third of the outer claw
has been released and we have placed a plastic shoe in the contralateral to prevent sets the injured foot and facilitate healing.