Is this the best dairy in the world? That depends on how excellence is defined. If success is measured by scale or throughput, perhaps not. But if it is measured by how long cows remain healthy, comfortable and economically productive, this family-scale herd makes a compelling case.

It is important to provide excellent hoof care to cows because lame cows can go from bad to worse quickly. If a lame cow has to wait to be treated, she can experience longer recovery time, and more necrotic tissue and permanent damage to her pedal bone.

In heifer and milking barns, more dairy cows are developing the hoof abnormality known as corkscrew claws, which increases lameness, shortens the productive life span of cows and decreases operational profitability.