By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-1773 x 281Source(s):
Jan Shearer jks@mail.ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-4700, ext. 4112
John Gilliland (863) 763-4673
Tommy Rollins (352) 463-1430
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — To improve animal welfare in the dairy industry, a University of Florida veterinarian has started the nation’s first training program to prevent lameness and other crippling foot disorders that cause more than $800 million in losses each year.
“Lameness has become the most costly clinical disease in the dairy cattle industry, particularly on large-scale farms where prolonged standing on concrete floors has aggravated the problem,” said Jan Shearer, professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
He said the industry is aware of the problem, but some producers have a limited understanding of the causes of lameness, and few have trained personnel to treat and manage the diseases.
Shearer, who started the Master Hoof Care Technician Program in 1997, said reducing losses from lameness and other foot diseases is saving the industry millions of dollars and providing prompt relief to suffering animals.
More than 300 dairy farm employees from around the world have completed the four-day program, which is offered in English and Spanish at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine and participating dairies.
“We started the program because regular foot care and treatment of lame cows will reduce the number of animals lost from irreparable foot disease,” Shearer said. “There’s a real need to train dairy employees who serve as health technicians in proper foot care and claw trimming.”
Severely injured animals often must be culled, causing $15 to $20 million in losses for the Florida dairy industry and losses that exceed $800 million nationwide, he said.
“In most dairies, the problem is complicated by the sheer numbers of animals that require treatment for lameness and other foot diseases. Numbers exceed what could be normally cared for by a veterinarian,” he said.
During the past decade, dairy farms have been required to move more cattle into confinement type systems with concrete flooring so that waste could be managed more effectively, he said. Prolonged standing on concrete floors has caused foot problems to become a major health issue for the industry.
Shearer said most foot care and claw trimming is now conducted by private trimmers or on-farm employees, most of whom have had little or no formal training in foot care. Moreover, cows that become lame between visits are put into a lot or pen and held until the next visit by the trimmer.
“The time lag from original injury to examination and treatment permits even minor lameness conditions to progress to a point of irreparable damage, leading to premature culling of affected animals,” he said. “This is costly and inhumane.”
The program includes four days of hands-on instruction in the care and treatment of foot problems. After the formal training, participants continue their study at home and practice the techniques learned. After three-to-six months of practice, participants take written and “hands-on” examinations. Those who successfully complete the tests receive a certificate along with the title of “master trimmer,” he said.
“For most dairy farm workers, particularly those from Latin American countries, the course offers a real opportunity for professional development,” Shearer said. “The program not only improves their self-esteem and morale, but also enhances their marketability as dairy employees. This is especially true for Hispanic workers who speak little English.”
Calvin Moody, owner of Brooks Co. Dairy in Quitman, Ga., said the UF training program helped reduce their cow losses from irreparable lameness. Annual losses dropped from an average of 90 cows during the 1995-1999 period to 29 during the past year, saving the dairy more than $93,000.
John Gilliland, operations manager at McArthur Farms in Okeechobee, Fla., said the UF training program has reduced the cull rate and increased milk production.
“Animals that are not stressed by lameness and other foot injuries produce more milk,” he said. “We have some animals standing on concrete for eight to 10 hours daily, which increases the potential for foot injuries, but the UF program has increased our awareness of the problem and trained our people in proper foot care. It’s one of the most important new health care management practices in the dairy industry.”
Tommy Rollins, another graduate of the program, is contributing to the growing science of foot care. Rollins, a manager at Alliance Dairy in Trenton, Fla., spoke at the recent International Symposium on Lameness in Ruminants in Parma, Italy, on specialized foot protection and healing procedures he has developed.
Shearer said it is “the single most rewarding program” he has ever been involved with as an extension veterinarian.
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