Archive Article: 2000/02/11
EVENT BRIEFS
uPRODUCERS should spend more time assessing the gait of individual cows within their herds, believe Chris Livesey and Richard Laven. Both agree that taking time to assess gait can give prior warning of likely lamenes, as well as identifying which cows are most likely to succumb to locomotion concerns.
uBEING cruel to be kind and putting heifers in cubicle housing at 13 months old may be the only way to acclimatise their feet to concrete and reduce later problems. Chris Livsey, a researcher at CVL Weybridge, Surrey, said horn took a year to grow from top to bottom of the foot. "Therefore, if you want to get heifers used to concrete, you have to toughen up their feet 12 months before you want to house them, not two weeks before."
uUSING a head torch, available in climbing and outdoor shops, can help provide better lighting when dealing with cows feet, according to CVL vet Chris Livesey, who finds the head torch invaluable. *