Lameness is a major health and welfare problem in the UK. A study by Professor Laura Green, at the University of Warwick calculated that lameness cost UK farmers between £70M and £210M annually.* During summer months lameness problems can be higher due to higher stocking rates, longer grass and damp conditions.
footbath
Foot bathing after every milking reduces lameness problems by 50%
The combined approach of foot bathing after every milking and the inclusion of Provita’s Hoofsure Endurance as the foot bathing solution, has allowed Ballymoney dairy farmer Brian Knipe and his father Alfie to reduce the levels of lameness within his 100 strong cow dairy herd by almost 50%.
“I am delighted with the results obtained by putting an increased emphasis on foot bathing,” Brian confirmed.
“I had known for some time that increasing the frequency of foot bathing would be required if we were ever to get on top of the problem. The challenge was working out the best way to make this happen without putting additional stress on me and the other people working on the farm.”
Sale season in full swing at Springhill Texels
Last Saturday marked the beginning of the Texel pedigree sale season in Northern Ireland with the breed’s ‘Premier’ event taking place in Ballymena. The Foster family, from Ardstraw in Co Tyrone, are owners of the renowned Springhill flock with a history stretching back thirty two years.
“We had a good day in Ballymena,” confirmed Graham Foster. “A ram lamb sold to 2,500gns with a shearling ram making 1,400gns in the ring,” confirmed Graham Foster.
“We are also taking part in Scotland’s Premier Texel Sale at Lanark. This is the first time in twenty years that we have taken sheep to that event.”
Foot bathing after every milking reduces lameness problems by 50%
The combined approach of foot bathing after every milking and the inclusion of Provita’s Hoofsure Endurance in the foot bathing solution has allowed Ballymoney dairy farmer Brian Knipe and his father Alfie to reduce the levels of lameness within his 100 strong cow dairy herd by almost 50%.”
Regular footbathing reduces lameness levels by up to 70%
DairyCo research has shown that 35 cows out of 100 will have lameness problems if footbathing is not carried out. “This is a median figure,” added Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.
“In comparison, figures drop down to 20 cows out of 100 on farms footbathing during housing. Even better results are achieved on farms that are footbathing all year round, with the figure dropping down to 10 cows per 100. This represents a 70% reduction in the overall scale of the problem, one that is costing the dairy sector millions of pounds in terms of lost production.”
Farmer successfully controlling lameness
Steven Robinson milks 125 Holstein Friesian cows at Longber Farm, near Lancaster. Until recently, he had been foot bathing the cows using a mix of Copper Sulphate and Formalin. However, ten months ago, after consulting with his local farm merchant, Steven decided to change to Provita Hoofsure Endurance. Since then he has been walking the … Read more
Regular Footbathing helps to prevent Lameness in Sheep
Denver McCall, from Madden in Co Armagh, runs a 400 strong flock of Spring lambing Suffolk cross Mule ewes. “We use a selection of Texel tips to produce a high quality finished lamb,” Denver confirmed to Farming Life. Denver believes that total attention to detail is the key to successful sheep production. To this end, … Read more