Managing lameness in the dairy herd will be the topic of workshops offered across Pennsylvania in March by Penn State Dairy Alliance. The Lameness Management Workshop is designed for dairy producers and their dairy employees who want to reduce lameness in their herds. Participants will explore hoof anatomy and pathology to learn more about the metabolic and infectious diseases that cause lameness. Lameness prevention will focus on such factors as nutrition, heat stress, housing and cow comfort, as well as hygiene and foot baths. A hoof trimming demonstration will also be offered.

Dr. Ernest Hovingh, DVM, Penn State Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, will lead the instruction.

Past participants have given this workshop high marks. “This is the best type of workshop. Ernest taught me the proper way of trimming the hoof,” noted one producer. “The hands-on use of tools gave me more confidence in trimming my own cows rather than calling in a trimmer for the occasional lame cow,” said another.

Each one-day workshop will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on these dates at the following sites:
• Fulton County – March 10: Green Hill Sewing Club, 6485 Lincoln Highway, Harrisonville, Pennsylvania
• Juniata County – March 11: Walker Grange Hall, Old Route 22, Mexico, Pennsylvania
• Centre County – March 17: Walker Township Building, 816 Nittany Drive, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
• Lancaster County – March 24: Rohrer's Dairy, 126 Charlestown Road, Washington Boro, Pennsylvania
• Franklin County – March 31: Family Traditions Lighthouse Restaurant, 4301 Philadelphia Ave., Route 11, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Advance registration is required. The fee is $20 per person to cover the cost of instruction. To register by phone, call (877) 489-1398. For more information about the workshop, contact program coordinators Greg Strait, Penn State Extension educator, or Dan McFarland, Penn State Extension engineer, at (717) 840-7408.

This workshop qualifies for 1 SmartStart credit through AgChoice Farm Credit. PD

—From Penn State Dairy Alliance news release