Lameness is an animal welfare issue and a major economic loss on many dairy farms. Common causes of lameness include sole hemorrhages, white line hemorrhages and sole ulcers, which can be categorized as claw horn lesions. These claw horn lesions can develop around calving and early lactation, and become noticeable around peak or mid-lactation. The current hypothesis is that claw horn lesions are a result of a bruise within the claw horn capsule. Physiological changes around calving and early lactation, such as weakening of connective tissue of the hoof suspensory apparatus and the decrease in thickness of the digital cushion, increase the risk of bruising, especially in poor housing conditions.

Increasing corn prices and lowering milk prices are causing dairy producers to think twice about what they feed their cows this spring.

Question: We have a lot of lameness in our herd and it seems to be mainly caused by hairy heel warts. We are desperate and we need advice on how to tackle this problem. How often should we run a foot bath and would that do the trick? Answer: I’m glad to hear that you are interested in how to reduce lameness in your herd. Lameness is an economical loss in prosperous times, but it’s even more serious when times are tough; it shows no mercy. The complexity of the issues that cause lameness will not allow me to explain everything in one article – perhaps some other time I can go into more detail in a special series. Right now though, I’m sure you’ve already tried various options, but I will give you a short overview on a good approach for curing and preventing lameness caused by warts (digital dermatitis).

Do you remember the first car that you purchased? It was probably nothing fancy but it was fuel efficient, reliable and at the time, was most likely the biggest purchase you had ever made. Of course, the plan was to keep it on the road for as long as possible. But vehicles age, they get old and tired, and as new cars come on the market that increase fuel efficiency, that original car in the driveway loses gas mileage and shows signs of mechanical problems. At this point, it is time to seriously decide if keeping the car is actually saving you money or if it should be retired for a newer model.

(Click here to listen to a podcast of this column.) The other day, my dad, who is nearly 90, was hooking up the horse trailer to haul some cows out on the range. He gripped the steering wheel of the truck and with much effort climbed down and let down the tailgate to let the gooseneck trailer slide into place. He sized up what needed to be done and with equal effort, he climbed back into the truck.

Alfalfa weevil
Larval populations of alfalfa weevil have been gradually increasing in first crop alfalfa. The WDATCP Wisconsin Pest Bulletin reported recently their surveys in south-central and central Wisconsin counties yielded an average of 3 larvae per 25 sweeps in 46 fields scouted.

Editor’s note: Ryan Dennis is the son of a dairy farmer from western New York and a literary writer. One of his first published essays originally appeared in Progressive Dairyman in 2009 – “Tempting the Language of Farming.” That essay was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the most prestigious creative essay awarded to a U.S. essay writer.