Page 17 - ACV Journal DECEMBER 2015

Scientific

I will usually just use ropes to tie a leg up as it takes a good the Bovibond and wooden blocks worked well, but if using
10 minutes or more to set up the crush and access into yards intermittently the guns jammed up a bit so Cowslips probably
is not always easy. Good head restraint is essential to reduce easier to stock in that case. We had angle grinders with hoof
movement. We don’t do a lot of beef cattle feet as I think that just trimming discs on them which I appreciated even more when
helps potentiate conformation defects, and there are not a lot of locuming in UK with limited restraining options and some
dairies left here now. I thing if I was doing larger numbers I would lameness kits sole contents consisting of a single hoof knife
go for a tipping crush.” and some tattered ropes. We usually stuck to penicillin in SA
but Tylan quite popular in UK for lame cattle. Look for patterns
“We use grinders with an abrasive disc. We have battery and if seeing a lot of lame cows, are there areas of laneways that
240 vault. I find the 18V Milwaukee an excellent tool and get a are problem spots (or is the whole cow transit area a problem
few cows done per battery. We have a cheese grater style disc spot!), is there poor drainage leading to macerated hooves and
as well but It scares me a bit so I don’t use it. Sharp knives increased lameness problems?”
are essential. A rubber wheel and a felt buffer on a cheap
grinder work well. We have gotten our gear from Innovative With many thanks to (in no particular order):
Farm Supplies. I have never been able to keep blocks on and Joe Brady, Phil Sharman, Al Murray, Andrew Hoare, Dave
find them fiddly. I love Cowslips. Especially just being able Buckle, Ben Porter, Chris Shirley, Ben Porter, Joe Davis,
to mix it in the shoe and slip it on. I find they usually stay Andrew Havadjia, Steph Bullen, Dave Chaffey, Richard
on at least 2 weeks. I think they are one of the best ways Sanders, Caroline Houston, Francis Sabbe, Richard Cameron,
of giving some analgesia to the animal, no pressure so less Anita McNamara, Jo Lidgett
pain. I usually only ever use antibiotics for footrot. Penicillin
or Exenel. NSAID’s for any sore cow. I use Tolfeject as get a
longish degree of effect and can use in several species. Local
Block. I put on a tourniquet, fold the foot up and insert an 18
gauge, 1 ½ needle in the skin fold, usually up to the hilt and
inject around 20cc Lignocaine i.v. If I can’t find the vein, I will
simply infiltrate all the way through from front to back of the
foot in this position and this gives good analgesia of the solar
part of the foot. Remember not all lameness is foot related. My
last 2 lame cows were a suspected cruciate rupture, and a torn
gastrocnemius tendons.

“Restraining cattle is the key I think - for theirs and your
safety. Use sedation if necessary - for bulls some sedation and
casting them to access the feet especially if rubbish crush and
multiple feet requiring treatment. The tipping crushes are great
to work with but obviously not everyone does enough lame
cow work to justify the cost. We had a good pulley system
and a winch with angle iron that you could hang over top kick
gate which made lifting feet a lot easier - haven’t got a photo
of it but an Andrew Hoare creation so it worked very well. If
just starting up practise practise practise tying knots - they
will prevent a lot of injuries. If doing quite a few lame cows

www.ava.com.au/cattle The Australian Cattle Veterinarian | volume 77 | December 2015 17