Correctly Identifying the Lame Claw
/Over the years I have witnessed multiple occasions where farm staff have attacked hooves with knives, grinders and hoof trimmers before correctly determining the site of lameness. This will have frequently resulted in an exacerbation of the overall lameness in the cow.
Before putting any lame cows into the crush, it is important to determine which leg is affected. Our vets tend to record these on a recording sheet. Look for:
obvious swelling (and hoof shape)
weight bearing while standing still (the lame foot will be positioned so not to carry as much load)
a head nod while walking in the case of front leg lameness
the stride length and speed (the lame leg will have a short stride before taking weight, then the sound leg swings through with a longer stride and is weight loaded for longer.
Once you have determined the lame leg, have tied it up, washed it down and checked for footrot, use hoof testers to confirm where the lameness is located. This simple tool works by squeezing and putting pressure on the claw. Watch for a repeatable pain response which is easy to recognise in the hind legs by a tensing of the ‘hamstring’ muscles and the front legs by a tensing of the shoulders. Cows with sole bruising will often have very soft hooves and you will see that the testers easily depress the sole. If there is no response to either claw to hoof testers, then chances are you either have the wrong foot or the cause of lameness is located further up the leg.
