Hoof Trimming

[CWT Angus]

Hi Everyone-
Can I have your opinions?
We have a small registered Angus herd. I have a 3 year old cow that looks like she needs her hooves trimmed. She occasionally takes a "tender" step- and is on soft ground, especially when she is going down a slope. She has a crack running down the front/outside of each front fhoof. It doesn't appear deep at all. When I checked the underside, all 4 feet look like they have a very overgrown wall. I have also noticed on a few others, even the yearlings that their toes look a bit long.

I thought hoof trimming was only for show cattle & dairies, but I am new at this cow/calf thing so that could be my mistake. Am I crazy to think that they need to be trimmed?
Help!

Wendy

 

[Kelly]

If you want advice on hoof trimming - you really need to ask Medic24. He has a very interesting play by play of trimming his cattle. Medic - did you publish that story yet?

 

[certherfbeef]

We trim most the herd every couple years. Some never need trimmed and some need it every time. Have a good relationship with the hoof trimmer. He sets up his tilt table at the end of our run. We bring the grill, CHB steaks and the chilled beverage and make a day of it.

 

[cherokeeruby]

I have strong opinion on hoof trimming, but I guess I will refrain from voicing them.

 

[certherfbeef]

I have strong opinion on hoof trimming, but I guess I will refrain from voicing them.

Common Ruby, bring it on!! Need a good argument some where other than the R-Calf board ;-)

 

[samm]

my son and his friends recently built a hydrolic hoof trimming table in thier ag mech class, they built it for a local guy here that apparently does a pretty good business triming hooves, dont know much about trimmin hooves, but was very impressed by thier work.....they did well in Houston and really well at our local show..

 

[cherokeeruby]

Cows should not need hoof trimming. The only exception would be one that is required to be on high protein feed such as a show animal or dairy animal. If under range conditions their hooves grow out too much for them to wear off naturally then the angle, set, whatever is incorrect and they would not have a long productive life. If they are artifically trimmed and the less than optimum foot set is allowed to be perpetuated then a fault is being bred into your herd.

 

[certherfbeef]

Very good Ruby, point well taken. Any one else???

 

[cherokeeruby]

Cert, we don't seem to be having much of an argument.

;-)

 

[la4angus]

Cert, we don't seem to be having much of an argument.

;-)

No point in us amatures arguing with you pros.

 

[preston39]

Cert, we don't seem to be having much of an argument.

;-)

===========
cherokeeruby,
I agree with you...with an exception...a foot deformity/traumatic or congenital abnormality. Otherwise should not be needed. Would look closely at the underlying cause.

 

[dun]

Cows should not need hoof trimming. The only exception would be one that is required to be on high protein feed such as a show animal or dairy animal. If under range conditions their hooves grow out too much for them to wear off naturally then the angle, set, whatever is incorrect and they would not have a long productive life. If they are artifically trimmed and the less than optimum foot set is allowed to be perpetuated then a fault is being bred into your herd.

As usual, 100% correct!

cherokeeruby,
I agree with you...with an exception...a foot deformity/traumatic or congenital abnormality. Otherwise should not be needed. Would look closely at the underlying cause.

The only one of these that would be valid is a traumatic injury. The others are just poor feet and need to be culled.

dun

 

[preston39]

Cows should not need hoof trimming. The only exception would be one that is required to be on high protein feed such as a show animal or dairy animal. If under range conditions their hooves grow out too much for them to wear off naturally then the angle, set, whatever is incorrect and they would not have a long productive life. If they are artifically trimmed and the less than optimum foot set is allowed to be perpetuated then a fault is being bred into your herd.

As usual, 100% correct!

cherokeeruby,
I agree with you...with an exception...a foot deformity/traumatic or congenital abnormality. Otherwise should not be needed. Would look closely at the underlying cause.

The only one of these that would be valid is a traumatic injury. The others are just poor feet and need to be culled.

dun

Dun,
I agree....thats the reason to look at the underlying cause.

 

[jkwilson]

A cow shouldn't need hoof trimming absent an injury or infection if she's a on a normal forage diet. If she was a show calf, she might have had founder problems, and this can become chronic. The cost for hoof trimming a single animal ever year is probably in the ballpark of the profit you can expect from her calf every year.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

If you've gotta pay to get the feet trimmed, it definitely isn't worth it. I bought a group of cows about five years ago and some had bad feet. They were sight unseen all the way from Alberta and they were Highlands which are known for having foot problems. My brother and I cast them in the corral and trimmed them. Obviously, you don't keep replacements off cows like that.
To answer your next question. The way you cast a cow is you halter her up to a post then you slip a lasso around her neck and run the rop ealong her back, go behind the front legs make another loop, run the rope along her back, make another loop around her in front of her back legs and bring the rope out on top again. Then pull and down she'll go. If the cow is quiet enough, you want even need to halter her to the post. I did that to a few cows when I moved to the new farm before I had a corral and headgate, works good. Good Luck.

 

[jerry27150]

when picking replacements i try to pick ones with good set. if any cows have feet that start growing too long they are culled

 

[frenchie]

Hi Everyone-
Can I have your opinions?
We have a small registered Angus herd. I have a 3 year old cow that looks like she needs her hooves trimmed. She occasionally takes a "tender" step- and is on soft ground, especially when she is going down a slope. She has a crack running down the front/outside of each front fhoof. It doesn't appear deep at all. When I checked the underside, all 4 feet look like they have a very overgrown wall. I have also noticed on a few others, even the yearlings that their toes look a bit long.

I thought hoof trimming was only for show cattle & dairies, but I am new at this cow/calf thing so that could be my mistake. Am I crazy to think that they need to be trimmed?
Help!

Wendy

Trim them at the slaughterhouse.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Hi Everyone-
Can I have your opinions?
We have a small registered Angus herd. I have a 3 year old cow that looks like she needs her hooves trimmed. She occasionally takes a "tender" step- and is on soft ground, especially when she is going down a slope. She has a crack running down the front/outside of each front fhoof. It doesn't appear deep at all. When I checked the underside, all 4 feet look like they have a very overgrown wall. I have also noticed on a few others, even the yearlings that their toes look a bit long.

I thought hoof trimming was only for show cattle & dairies, but I am new at this cow/calf thing so that could be my mistake. Am I crazy to think that they need to be trimmed?
Help!

Wendy

Trim them at the slaughterhouse.

I concur