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I've Seen Everything Now!!

N

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
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12,247
Location
saskatchewan
Just looked at an add in a purebred publication-one page expounding their superior genetics-the other page proudly showing those same genetics getting their feet trimmed in the hoof trimming tables that they are dealers for. YIKES!!! I refuse to teach my $H kids how to trim cattles feet-plenty of packing plants can do that for you.
 
Northern Rancher said:
Just looked at an add in a purebred publication-one page expounding their superior genetics-the other page proudly showing those same genetics getting their feet trimmed in the hoof trimming tables that they are dealers for. YIKES!!! I refuse to teach my $H kids how to trim cattles feet-plenty of packing plants can do that for you.
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so you're saying you've never trimmed any cattle's feet?.....ever?
 
I'm a lying son of a buck-we trimmed an eight year old red angus that we'd sold-the buyer wanted him done-he bred till he was thirteen and was never done again. I've had a few that could of used a trim but we did them just behind the ears. Our country is hard on feet-really high protein grass in the spring to make them founder then into the peat moss meadows where they don't wear off but if your careful on what you buy for bulls you can get by. It helps we don't buy bulls that have them feet fed off them.
 
I've Seen Everything Now!!

Gotta be careful saying that. When I was about 50 I would sometimes say that but now pushing 60 I have realized that I won't live long enough to have "seen everything."

I do agree with you, NR, that one shot of trailermycin is the best way to trim feet. The older I get the easier culling becomes the solution for many problems.
 
wdcook said:
I've Seen Everything Now!!

Gotta be careful saying that. When I was about 50 I would sometimes say that but now pushing 60 I have realized that I won't live long enough to have "seen everything."

I do agree with you, NR, that one shot of trailermycin is the best way to trim feet. The older I get the easier culling becomes the solution for many problems.
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Trailermycin. :!: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I like that. :D
 
my hubby and brother both have paid a few bills trimming feet, it happens more than what you think and at more places than what you might think too. We just bought my brothers table from him, he bought it from us 15 yrs ago, we have a donkey thats grass foundered and 3 up and coming steer jockeys that will use it for a few yrs :wink:
 
For those with the high protein grass that cause cattle founder:

I thought it was "Energy" (or carbohydrates) that caused laminitis..........not "Protein"?

Putting yearling bulls on a feed test is a good way to cull out the ones who will have bad feet....instead of waiting til they're 5-6 years old, only to find out when you've got cows from him with bad feet.

A cow's/bull's hoof must wear at the exact same rate that it grows to keep healthy feet.
 
I'm sure this has been discussed here before but what causes hooves to crack? We rarely get a cow with long toes but the feet problems we see more than anything a cracks in the face of the hoof. Is this a nutritional problem or genetic? It's not foot rot either. I think I've heard it called sand cracks but I'm not sure about that either. Not all cows that have a crack in their hoof get lame either.
 
Big Swede said:
I'm sure this has been discussed here before but what causes hooves to crack? We rarely get a cow with long toes but the feet problems we see more than anything a cracks in the face of the hoof. Is this a nutritional problem or genetic? It's not foot rot either. I think I've heard it called sand cracks but I'm not sure about that either. Not all cows that have a crack in their hoof get lame either.
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I encountered that problem when I moved here first. Then I read one of the causes was when cows went straight from winter feed onto lush green grass. The rumen bugs have such a time adapting to the sudden change that it causes quite a bit of stress to the animals metabolism. This manifests itself in sand cracks which as you say don't always make an animal lame. Since we moved to using banked grass in the spring we avoid the total change over from dry winter feed to lush new grass. Now they have time to adapt - winter feed onto dormant grass, then dormant new growth mixed then all new grass. This works great for us - we have had no new cases of sand cracks since we started with this policy. Same genetics, just a management tweak.
 
NR you know what they say what happens when you say you will never do something :wink:

Dairy cows get thier feet trimmed all the time but that is due to walking on concret so much.
 
We actually did a research thing with the university on sand cracks-ran every cow in and measured her feet a bunch of ways with calipers. One theory that was around was chelated minerals would cure it-well it made some mineral salesmen richer is all. then they thought that our grass was soo high protein in the spring that it caused a gras founder that weakened the hoof wall. We kind of cleared it up by not feeding our replacement heifers so good-I think some cattle were getting too heavy at to young an age. You see that in horses-something that just runs out and is a horse will be sound as a dollar till he's too old to ride-those colts that get petted and fed every day are sore more than their rode. I realize people trim dairy cows and people make a living trimming feet but they'd starve out if they relied on me for business. Ms Sage when I say never I'm usually pretty good at sticking to it-cattle wise anyway.
 
Around here Long Prairie Packing Co. Trim's hooves and every other part of the bovine kinda ends the whole genetic line.Show people are the worse in this situation if they can win a worthless ribbon they will look past the most unethical practices.

As far as dairy cows go they need their hooves trimmed because of lack of movement not because their time is spent on concrete. Concrete will wear out their joints faster than their feet.

If I had to call a hoof trimmer I'd just call the butcher instead.
 
The only hooves that get trimmed around here are saddle horses and kids...
Some of the hoof trimmers that work a lot are pretty interesting to watch and learn from. The good ones know a lot about feet.
 
When Ty was just a little guy we stopped in at an outfit that had the hoof trimmer out-I sat him on a post and told him take a good look because you won't see this at home. The breeder thought it was funny but the trimmer was ready to scuff me up lol.
 
jkvikefan said:
Now I guess I know where us hoof trimmers stand in the food chain.
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It's not the ones doing the trimming, I just question as to why someone would have it done. So how much would you charge for hoof trimming, now subtract that from the profit on a cow
 

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