Ahead of the busy calving season, farmers need to focus in on the key areas that need improving to prevent the onset of lameness.

Lameness is seen in over 10% of the national dairy herd, with flare-ups prone around calving as stress increases.

Studies have suggested that lameness in a 100-cow herd can cost a farm up to €8,750 annually.

On top of lost revenue, lameness presents itself as a serious welfare issue, causing pain to the cow and preventing her from moving and behaving normally.

Lameness is often common within the first three months of calving, therefore a well-designed control plan should implemented ahead for the season ahead.

Lameness at calving

As cows edge closer to calving, they release a hormone called relaxin, which causes their ligaments to soften ahead of calving, a process commonly known as the 'the dropping of the pin bones'.

However, the hormone also softens the ligaments around the animals' pedal bone, which sits in the hoof of the cow.

This softening can ultimately cause the sole of the hoof to bruise and result in a weaker hoof horn developing and the cow becoming lame.

Relaxin affects all cows and kicks in a couple of weeks before calving and continues for a week or two post-calving.

This means many cows calving in January or early February will currently be under the effects of the hormone.

The animal's body condition score (BCS) at calving will also play a role in lameness, as thin cows with a BCS of less than 2.75 are at a much greater risk of becoming lame.

This is due to a fat pad within the hoof that acts as an anti-concussion or shock absorber thinning down with the cow.

Prevention

Every farmer should be putting the plans and effort in place to prevent lameness this spring as margins will already be tight.

Routine hoof trimming should be carried out over the dry period in a bid to promote healthy hoof shape and growth, which makes the hoof more resistant to injury.

Always move cows gently and avoid running or pushing. Farmers also need to ensure cows are not competing for space and have comfortable cubicles to maximise time spent lying down.

Cows and heifers may have been grouped separately over the winter, but they should be mixed well in advance of calving to avoid fighting and bullying around calving.

Once they begin to calve down, plan the grazing rotation carefully to avoid walking the freshly calved cow long distances.

Carry out continuous mobility scoring and use it to identify mildly lame cows. Separating them from the herd and treating them early should give the best success rate.

If mortellaro is present in the herd, farmers should put their cows through a number of footbaths before the calving season kicks off.

All cases of lameness need to be recorded and the types of foot lesions causing the problem identified with the help of your vet or hoof trimmer.

If cows become lame, prompt treatment is needed to prevent BCS loss and to help the cows calve down with ease.