Page 10 - ACV Journal DECEMBER 2015

Scientific

HOW I TREAT … “Treating lame cows is and can be physically demanding, but with the
LAMENESS use of pulleys and ropes lifting cows feet has become easier. I still sedate
every cow with 10 to 20 mg of xylazine I/V via the tail vein. Xylazine not
David S Beggs BVSc MVS only helps to sedate the cow but very few cows will defecate when
they are sedated. In the majority of cases I use a pulley combined with
This instalment of the “How I treat” articles is on the topic of lameness. a belly strap especially when doing front feet (as they are more likely to
go down). If I can’t set up my pulley then I still lift them using a rope.
Introduction Although in the past few years most of our larger farms have installed
their own hoof crushes. For diagnostic work on claws I use a grinder
Treating lame cattle can be frustrating hard work, but it can also be with a sanding disc, I find the cutting discs can be a little aggressive
rewarding and straight forward. It’s a situation where facilities and and if you do not have the cow in a hoof crush it can be dangerous to
equipment can determine the experience for the vet (and cow) much the operator. The important point with the sanding disc is not to use
more than the nature or extent of the disease. But there have been it for long periods of time as it will heat up the claw. With long claws i
advances in recent times. Since I graduated, simple leg ropes have trim them manually then finish them with the sanding disc. Ensure your
largely given way to pulleys and even tipper crushes. An email was hoof knife is sharp and with looped hoof knives are great for cleaning
sent to members of the ACV List asking for respondents to reply with a up axial wall cracks. Infusing 20 mls of lignocaine between the claws
paragraph or two outlining their general approach to lameness in cattle. can make it easier to treat those painful cases of axial wall cracks. I use
A summary of the responses is provided here… both cow slips and blocks. If I am treating only a small number of feet
then I find it easier to use cow slips, if I am treating several feet then I
As usual, bear in mind that these comments represent anecdotal use blocks. I don’t routinely use anti biotics except for specific cases of
wisdom, not peer reviewed results! foot rot and axial wall cracks. The use of anti inflammatories is made on
a case by case basis but not used all the time.”

Results “Sorry do not treat many lame cows if we do flunixil and penicillin or
oxytet if infection present. Will sent picture of a quick fix to make a self
“If I am heading out to treat 1 or 2 lame cows I will take a pulley system, shutting latch out of tyre rubber that I came across last week. Worked
made up from a couple of pulleys and a cleat, and a few ratchet belly a treat to make a portable yard crush more civilised…”
straps to support the cow if she goes off her legs. If I am seeing more
cows I will take out our foot trimming crush, an M series standing crush
from Comfort Hoofcare. This takes about 15 minutes to set up, once
you have identified a suitable flat area, but saves you a huge amount of
time per cow, especially when you need to trim multiple feet. Having the
feet securely anchored and accessible makes the whole process less
stressful for both cow and vet. If I am trimming a front foot I will make
sure to anchor the hind leg on that side to prevent her kicking forward.
I carry 2 grinders, 1 loaded with a 6 blade rotoclip disc, the other with
a heavy grip paper and backing disc. The rotoclip is great for removing
large amounts of horn quickly without generating heat but can too
aggressive for finer work. With new blades on the rotoclip the grinder
tends to ‘kick’ but this reduces once the blades dull a bit. I prefer to use
knives to investigate lesions and to dish out the claws but when they are
rock hard the second grinder comes in handy. You need to be careful
with its use to avoid overheating the horn and damaging the underlying
tissue. I also carry a dremel multitool loaded with a burr which it great
in those hard to reach places such as when you are dishing out an
axial wall crack. Having tried several different blocks and glues I have
settled on the Demotec easy bloc. They are easy to fit without too much
mess and adhere well to the hoof, helped by the flexible sidewall. This
kind of block allows the glue to be administered to the wall of the hoof
rather than to the sole preventing hard ridges of glue forming under the
sole which may cause discomfort in the softer heel area. The sole of
the block is set slightly back from the tip of the toe and extends well at
the heel. This provides good heel support and prevents overextension
of the toe and lengthening of the flexor tendons. If I am carrying out
an extensive debridement I will use local anaesthetic either as an
intravenous perfusion or administered locally and between the claws.
Kinder on the cow and allows deep lesions to be fully investigated.”

10 The Australian Cattle Veterinarian | volume 77 | December 2015 www.ava.com.au/cattle