Zero lameness is not about never having a cow go lame. We know if there are cows, there will be a time when one of them will become lame. But how we respond to that event will determine whether that cow will become part of the chronic lameness problem our industry is experiencing.

When a farm begins a footbath program, a lot of thought and evaluation goes into it. What chemicals to use, where to place the bath and the type of bath are all considerations.

In a previous article in Progressive Dairy, I broke out the cost analysis for contracting trimming compared to bringing the task partially or completely in-house

Walking cows through a footbath containing an antibacterial agent, such as copper sulfate or formalin, has become an industry standard practice to aid in the control of infectious hoof disease.

Every dairy producer knows the health of the herd is invaluable when working to achieve the highest production and profit. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly goes a long way to not only prevent the reduction in production but to reduce the difficulties and expense in reaching that pinnacle of profitability.

When it comes to your footbath costs, there’s more to it than just the sticker price. Many dairy producers are looking for ways to cut back on costs, and hoof care products are no exception.

When it comes to hoof health, there are many factors that go into making sure your cows have healthy hooves. Many of these get overlooked, as they may seem trivial, but are all important to keep hooves healthy.

Consistency is usually a positive term when describing footbath management. However, there are so many footbath management variables that one or more mistakes can easily be made.