Management around calving to reduce risk of lameness

Firstly, as a cow prepares for the calving event, her body releases a hormone called relaxin. This hormone release is an important part of the calving process. It causes the ligaments around the birth canal to soften. This softening allows the birth canal to expand to accommodate the birthing process. As farmers, you will recognize this as “the dropping of the pin bones”. Unfortunately ,the hormone relaxin also affects the ligaments supporting the pedal bone. This is a small bone about 5 centimetres long which sits within the hoof of a dairy cow. Softening of the ligaments supporting this bone results in the bone becoming unstable. Movement of this bone can result in bruising of the sole of the foot and the production of weaker hoof horn. Softer horn is less durable and the cow is therefore at greater risk of  becoming lame in the following few months. This hormone affects all cows in the week leading up to calving and for one to two weeks post calving.

A second factor that is likely to be at play in the early post calving period is loss of body condition. Research has shown that cows that are thin (BCS < 2.75) are at a greater risk of becoming lame. Within the hoof, there is a pad of fat that acts as an anti-concussion or shock absorber cushion. Thin cows have a smaller fat pad, experience less shock absorption, and are more likely to become lame.

Top tips for managing lameness around calving include

• Move cows gently, avoiding running, pushing or competing for space.
• Avoid walking cows long distances.
• Plan paddock grazing so that freshly calved cows graze near the milking parlour.
• To minimise risk of cows fighting and bullying, mix groups in advance of calving.
• Calve cows in correct body condition (c. 3.25) and manage feeding to keep BCS loss to less than 0.5 BCS in first 6 weeks of lactation.