Media Articles

Spring Lameness Costing Thousands

      Lameness is a major problem in New Zealand dairy herds. Treatment costs, milk with-holding, and wasted labour time are something dairy farmers could do without and especially during the busyness of spring! 

      Wilco Klein Ovink knows all too well the stress of lameness on both the farmer and cow.

      “Late spring produces heavy consistent rain, which washes races and exposes the hard rock below dramatically increasing hoof problems.  It is especially difficult for first Calvers learning their way through the shed while being pushed around by those higher in the pecking order” Wilco said. 

      “I got so sick of returning to the shed every spring day after breakfast to leg rope a cow.  It would take two of us, one to hold her leg while the other worked on the hoof.  It is very stressful battling with a cow when you have so much you still have to get on and do” he recalled.  “Lamecow handlers are standard farm equipment in Europe yet there was nothing available here.”  Not perturbed Wilco developed his own.

      The Wrangler is a cattle restrainer designed to make hoof trimming safe and easy.  The front or rear hoof can be raised and examined without the fear of injury to operator or cow.  The rear hoof rests on a bar, and the front hoof lies in a padded cradle.  The underbelly girdle supports the cow should she want to go down.  ‘With conventional leg roping there is a real concern of the cow dislocating her hip”  said Wilco.   “I also wanted the Wrangler to be comfortable for the cow.  Even if a cow is upset the first time in, she becomes more relaxed with each visit.  That saves a lot of stress!”.

      During spring the Wrangler is also useful as a mobile cattle crush for calving cows.  It can be towed by Tractor or ATV then set up in a race, paddock, or runoff.  “For us it meant we could set it up and have the Springer mob near the house leaving paddocks close to the shed for the Milkers”, he explained.

      Caesarians can be performed with the cow held in the Wrangler and the side bars removed  giving the veterinarian complete access to the cows left flank.  A local anesthetic is used so the cow remains awake and standing throughout the operation.  This is both safer for the cow, and provides cleaner facilities for the vet.  “In the first session we had three caesarians through the Wrangler.  Previously this was not an option.”  recalled Wilco.  “It meant a easier and better calving result - and saved a profitable cow and her valuable calf.”

      Race improvements, and better cow flow can help with spring lameness but as herd sizes increase lameness is a problem that will continue to increase and along with it the costs of time and labour.