Long hooves?

[Anonymous]

We have some cows that seem to always get long feet. A local trader looked at some cows I was culling and said that they had been foundered. I don't feel that is possible for I don't feed much grain and one of them was so timid she hardly ever ate much. Could a lot of clover in the pasture hurt? Some also say the wet soft ground hurts. In previous years we feed protien tubs but did not this previous winter. Just curious what causes this.

 

[dun]

Genetics, softground, founder and probably a coule of other things can all cause th problem. It's sometimes hard to pinpoint the exact cause, but it seems that bad feet/legs are inherited. If a cow has bad feet/legs and her calves do too it's probably genetic. If most of the cows are unrelated and htey still have the problem it's probably feed or soft ground. I suppose a high level of clover could cause the problem, but if the ground/footing is good and the cows basic feet/legs are sound I don't think cover would cause it. High levels of grain will. Those that I have seen that foundered ended up with ridges around the hoof.

dun

 

[ollie]

Structure of stifel ,hock and pasturn has as much to do with foot structure as anything.

 

[Monica]

I know with horses they will founder in the front. Now when a cow founder, do they too founder in the front or is it mostly the rear? What are the signs of a cow foundering? Horse lay around alot and rock back on the rear quarters.

 

[donnaIL]

I have two cows that get a long hoof on their rear left hoof. It is only the one hoof that seems to be affected. I believe in our case its genetic because one cows calves have hoofs like hers. I was also curious if anyone knew any good "hoof trimming" web sites.

Thanks, donna