Must dos for July: Watch for cattle foot problems

Summer is the key time to keep an eye out for outbreaks of digital dermatitis, says Jo Speed, DairyCo senior technical extension officer.

“Digital dermatitis lies dormant in the deep tissue of the foot, even when there isn’t an active lesion, and in times of herd stress or pressure, individual animals or the whole herd may have an outbreak of dermatitis.

“Identifying the types of lesions present on your farm can aid in a prevention strategy relevant to you. Damage on the sole causing bruising or sole ulcers can be traced back to trauma on the sole of the foot two to three months previously, so thinking about gateways and cow track management is critical to prevent problems.

See also: Eblex sheep focus farms to address health issues

“Key to prevention is biosecurity, while regular foot-bathing of the whole herd can be the route for control. It’s worth assessing foot-bath location and considering continued use through the grazed period to aid control.

She continues: “Managing cow tracks will also aid in minimising problems caused by trauma from stones, improve cow flow and help manage run-off if a 3-6% camber is maintained.”

The DairyCo Cow Tracks booklet contains all the dimensions and considerations when planning cow tracks or maintenance, while working with your vet or foot trimmer through the DairyCo Healthy Feet Programme.

For more information, visit DairyCo at the Healthy Feet demonstration area in hall six at the Livestock Event on 2 and 3 July, at the NEC, Birmingham.

Sheep

When lambs more than eight-weeks-old are growing at less than 200g/day, weaning them and moving them to better quality feed should be considered, advises Eblex’s Liz Genever.

“The decision to wean is driven by multiple factors, including ewe body condition and the availability of somewhere suitable to move weaned lambs and ewes to,” she says.

“However, once lambs are eight-weeks-old, their energy intake from grass is greater than from ewe’s milk, so competition for high-quality grass between ewes and lambs increases.

“Weaned lambs should ideally go to pasture they know, out of sight and sound of the ewes.”

Beef

Averaging more than 30% of dry matter as white clover over the grazing season means it can fix about 150kg of nitrogen/ha in a year, according to Eblex livestock scientist Poppy Frater.

“In late spring, the optimum level of white clover in pasture is 30% of the dry matter,” she says.

“However, with the right management, it can reach 50-60% by midsummer.

“When relying on clover as a nitrogen source, it is important not to over-estimate the proportion in the sward. The general rule is to estimate the proportion of clover leaf and then halve it.”

For more information, download the Eblex BRP manual Managing Clover for Better Returns.