Hoof health: Canadian initiatives and resources for farmers

Animal welfare was identified as the top management priority, and lameness was the number one animal health-related concern in a national survey run in 2014 by Dr. David Kelton, University of Guelph, and his research team. (See Kelton’s video presentation on YouTube at National Dairy Study NAHMS north or Herding Cats?)

Hoof health problems are effectively detrimental to cow productivity and longevity. Lameness, for example, can cost a farmer up to $350 to treat just one lame cow, and the pain and discomfort associated to lameness are an animal welfare concern.

The Have Your Say survey was online at www.dairyresearch.ca from February 2015 to January 2016. It was the basis for interactions with farmers in 15 conferences attended by Dairy Research Cluster staff to engage farmers on short- and long-term needs for dairy research.

Kelton’s needs assessment was conducted for a research project that aims to benchmark dairy cattle health and farm management practices in Canada. More than 600 responses were received from farmers on important areas of focus for the exercise.

Research initiatives addressing hoof health-related issues to support farmers

1. Improving hoof health in Canadian dairy farms – Dairy Research Cluster (project led by Filippo Miglior, Canadian Dairy Network, 2013-2018)

Genetic and genomic evaluations show promising potential for selection of cows more resistant to hoof lesions.

This nationally coordinated project, involving provincial organizations, hoof trimmers and farmers, is using common software (Hoof Supervisor System) to collect hoof health data and connect it to existing cows through DHI.

It also aims to develop a new DHI management report on hoof health for those farmers involved in this data collection network.

Outcomes for farmers: Future genetic and genomic evaluations to identify cattle more resistent to hoof health problems and the creation of a practical DHI management report that farmers will use to improve hoof health on their farm.

2. The Alberta Dairy Hoof Health Project – Phase 2 – Lameness risk analysis knowledge transfer project (led by Alberta Milk)

As a follow-up to the key findings in the Alberta Dairy Hoof Health Project, which identified the most important hoof health issues on farms in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario (2009-2012), a team led by Drs. Karin Orsel, Herman Barkema and grad students at the University of Calgary is preparing knowledge transfer tools to assist farmers, veterinarians, trimmers and nutritionists to address lameness.

Outcome for farmers: Reduce lameness in dairy herds by identifying specific lameness risk factors and work with veterinarians, trimmers and nutritionists (management team) to develop recommendations based on the risk factors.

3. Strategy for improving claw health in Quebec dairy herds

Hoof trimmers from across Canada have an integral role in the identification of hoof lesions and the collection of data for the national hoof health project. Trimmers in Quebec were equipped and trained on the use of the Hoof Supervisor System for high-quality data collection.

The next step with this current project is that the data will feed the national DHI data bank and the Canadian Dairy Network. An interface has been developed by Valacta and installed in the Hoof Supervisor System to be able to get minimum herd information directly from the national DHI databank.

Outcome for farmers: High-quality, efficient data collection in Quebec to feed the national DHI databank and produce Hoof Supervisor System management reports for participating farmers to improve hoof health.

4. Milk 2020 – Hoof health project

Milk 2020 was established by New Brunswick dairy producers and processors to encourage research, development and innovation in New Brunswick’s dairy industry. Milk 2020 is developing a cloud-based hoof health software program for hoof trimmers and farmers in New Brunswick.

While still in the developmental stage, Milk 2020 is working toward linking the data collection system to the National Hoof Health project under the Dairy Research Cluster.

Outcome for farmers: High-quality, efficient data collection in New Brunswick to feed the national DHI databank and production of reports for farmers to improve hoof health.