The Future Ready Dairy Systems project hosted a workshop at Terang’s DemoDAIRY last month where methods of dealing with lameness were explained to a group of 20 local veterinarians.
Presenter Dr David Colson from The Vet Group also outlined resources available from Dairy Australia to help farmers deal with the problem.
The workshop developed the capacity of veterinarians to conduct on-farm sessions for farmers and followed a ‘train the trainer’ theory session held earlier in the year.
The sessions were funded by Dairy Australia to disseminate information about managing lameness in wet conditions, equipment for treating lameness, selecting a crush for treating lameness and building blocks for good laneways.
Dr Colson said lameness was a big issue on dairy farms and was being treated as a high-risk priority by Dairy Australia.
“A lame cow loses 18% of production but it is also an animal welfare issue,” he said.
Colson said farmers should have a lameness strategy in place and aim for early detection of the problem.
“That is best for the animal’s welfare and for the farm itself.”
Co-presenter Peter Best, from Innovative Farm Imports, said farmers could take preventative measures to avoid lameness and vets could play a role in advocating safe conditions.
These could include maintaining laneways, avoiding abrasive concrete, using rubber matting where concrete is worn, promoting smooth flow of cows, and avoiding letting cows slip.
“There’s no point trimming cow’s hooves unless you’ve got everything else right,” he said.
“We hope vets will take up the challenge to run sessions on lameness for their farmers. The sessions are really well received by the farmers and an excellent extension activity,” Dr Colson added.
“If we can help farmers to avoid the problem it is better for the industry and for vets,” he said.
The workshop was funded by Dairy Australia and supported by Future Ready Dairy Systems Project which is funded through the Australian Government Climate Change Research Program.
