The aim was to describe variation in length of the dorsal hoof wall in contact with the dermis for cows on a single farm, and hence, derive minimum appropriate claw lengths for routine foot trimming. The hind feet of 68 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were collected post mortem, and the internal structures were visualised using x-ray µCT. The internal distance from the proximal limit of the wall h...

Due to its detrimental effect on cow welfare, health and production, lameness in dairy cows has received quite a lot of attention in the last few decades-not only in terms of prevention and treatment of lameness but also in terms of detection, as early treatment might decrease the number of severely lame cows in the herds as well as decrease the direct and indirect costs associated with lamenes...

Foot rot is a highly contagious and economically important disease of the feet of ruminants especially sheep and goats and is characterized by the separation of keratinous hoof from the underlying epidermal tissue resulting in severe lameness, loss of body condition and reduced wool production. Although foot rot infection has been reported in cattle, horses, pigs, deer and mouflon, the infectio...

Although foot pain can affect gait, the presence of a hoof lesion may or not cause cow to show visible changes in their gait. This be dependent on type and severity lesion; for example, sole ulcer (SU) has been associated with increased gait scores, whereas digital dermatitis (DD) hemorrhage (SH) have not. In tiestall facilities, scoring difficult perform. An alternative method, known as stall ...

Many performance and racehorses cannot perform to their potential because of hoof problems. The old adage “no hoof, no horse” still applies today and this article examines some of the nutritional factors that impact the hoof. There are many factors that can influence development of the hoof, and this article will discuss some of these variables that can aid the search for increased hoof growth ...