Methods of Control and Prevention

Housing

One of the major reasons for increased lameness in herds is reduced lying time. Strawyards, provided they are clean, well bedded and spacious, are excellent in that they provide comfort and the animals are able to move freely. Cows lie down longer in strawyards, and they are better for lying in than many cubicles (Singh et al., 1994). The cows also ruminate more and have improved digestion. Stress due to social status is also reduced in straw yards. Even if animals are not housed in strawyards all lactation, it is often useful to place cows into a yard for the first part of lactation. Straw yards are excellent for wintering suckler beef cows and their followers.

If cubicles are to be used they should be designed correctly, so they do not cause injury and do provide cow comfort. Overcrowding should be avoided by allowing each cow access to at least one cubicle; a few extra cubicles can be helpful. Cubicle bases should be kept clean and dry by scraping out slurry at least twice a day and renewing the bedding material as necessary. If possible, mats or mattresses should be fitted, as they will improve cubicle comfort.

Heifers which are to come indoors for calving should be housed for 6 to 8 weeks prior to calving, to acclimatize them to concrete surfaces. If at all possible, heifers should be kept as a separate group during the first lactation, to eliminate bullying by older animals. This will reduce their problems with lameness. Ideally, they should be kept in a straw yard during the first lactation, or at least for the first three months of lactation and until after they are pregnant.

Ensure cows are not hurried when walking to and from pastures. They must not walk for more than 0.5 km on concrete or tar-macadam surfaces. Where possible, special cow tracks should be constructed. Passageways must be wide enough (2.7 - 3 metres) and kept clean.

Floor surfaces must not be too smooth nor too rough. Concrete surfaces must be cleaned regularly, as both silage effluent and slurry cause erosion. New concrete surfaces must be well washed before use to remove all the excess surface alkali. Slatted floors can cause lameness in cattle due to injuries if the slats are fitted incorrectly or poorly maintained. Specialist advice on floor design is needed to avoid cows slipping and injuring themselves.

Nutrition

Foot problems, such as laminitis, related to imbalanced nutrition should be less of a problem in organic farming than in conventional farming. Inadequate digestible fibre levels and high levels of starchy concentrate in the diet leading to ruminal acidosis should not occur in organic farming, as at least 60% of the diet should consist of fresh or conserved roughage (UKROFS, 2000). Excessive protein levels in the diet, equally unlikely in organic farming, are also known to cause laminitis. This is probably due to excessive ammonia production in the rumen. However, avoid sudden big increases in concentrate feeding early post-calving and restrict concentrate intakes to less than 5 kg per single feed. Including straw and hay in the diet is good practice, as it limits rumen acidity.

Some mineral deficiencies, such as sulphur and zinc deficiencies, may contribute to poor horn formation, and these minerals may need supplementation when dietary supply is insufficient. Vitamins such as biotin have been shown to reduce lameness and improve healing of sole ulcers.

Foot Care

All feet should be checked at least twice yearly. Regular foot trimming can be beneficial, as it reduces the risk of foot damage due to misshapen and overgrown hooves. On a herd basis, trimming allows regular examination of the feet and hence early diagnosis of any lameness lesion. The feet should not be trimmed when the cows are going out on tracks. The dry period is the most convenient period and allows 'convalescence'.

Foot Bathing

Walk-through and stationary foot-bathing are satisfactory techniques for reducing the incidence and spread of foot infections, such as foul-in-the-foot. Solutions of 5-10% zinc or copper sulphate are most commonly used in organic farming. Foot-bathing should be undertaken during periods of risk, and especially during the autumn and winter housing period.

Foot-baths are most effective when cows enter the bath with clean hooves. Ideally, two baths should be used in tandem, the first containing just water to clean the feet and the second containing the disinfectant solution. Most permanent foot-baths are placed in the exit passage from the milking parlour or are in a race.

If the herd is suffering from contagious foot rot, the use of foot baths should be carefully considered as they may act as vectors and spread the disease in the herd. The veterinarian should be consulted before implementing regular foot bathing in a herd.

Breeding

Sires with good linear scores for shape of foot, depth of heel, depth of hock and pastern angle should be selected. Do not breed from cows with a severe clinical lameness or badly deformed legs or feet. This is particularly the case with sole ulcers and corkscrew claws.

More research is needed to establish differences between breeds with regard to susceptibility to lameness. This may help organic farmers to choose cattle breeds with fewer lameness problems.