Cows on many of today’s dairy farms are housed indoors. These controlled climates have many benefits, but one downside is that cows are often walking on concrete day in and day out. This can have a negative effect on hoof health.
During the July Hoard’s Dairyman webinar, Karl Burgi shared his top keys for maintaining hoof health in cows housed on concrete. Burgi, founder of Sure Step Consulting and Save Cows Network, has been working with farms to prevent lameness for more than three decades.
First, he said farmers need to create the best lying surface possible. This includes deep-bedded stalls and airflow over the stalls, especially in summer.
“We need a comfortable, cool freestall for the cows to come in,” Burgi stated.
Next, a barn needs a flat floor with grooves to improve traction. He recommended a 3/4-inch wide groove that goes in the direction of cow traffic. The space in between the grooves would be about 3-1/4 inches. Burgi noted that extra traction is sometimes needed in crossover alleyways where cows are turning and may be moving more quickly.
Another key is to reduce the time cows spend being milked and waiting to be milked, Burgi said. This is especially important during hot summer weather. His recommendation was less than 45 minutes per milking with 3x milking.
“Cows that are standing a long time are heating up, and then they won’t lie back down when they return to the pen because they are overheated,” he said.
Finally, he emphasized the importance of reducing the time cows spend in headlocks. Burgi recommended that cows be kept in headlocks no more than 35 to 45 minutes per day.
To learn more, watch the July Hoard’s Dairyman webinar, “Overlooked strategies for improving hoof health.” This webinar was sponsored by Hoof-Zink.
