Blocking is a fantastic tool, and as a hoof trimmer, you don't want to do without it. A question I get about blocks is how to keep them on, so I would like to share how we did it. Winter gave me the most trouble.
A hoof block is glued on the healthy claw to give it height, so the cow steps on the block and the sore claw is not touching the ground. The block stays on when the claw is clean, rough and dry, the glue is warm, and the glue gets time to cure.
Why do we glue a block on a cow's claw?
The block is glued on to gain height, because the claw beside it is sore or has a problem and needs relief of weight. In my trimming years, I blocked the healthy claw for sole ulcers, double soles and white line defects (see Laminitis & Other Horn Diseases), for a toe ulcer, for excessive wear, and for a Foreign Object Penetrating the Hoof.
Which claw gets the block?
The block goes on the healthy claw, but check it first. Quite often, the healthy claw appears to be pretty solid from the outside, but it has also been under additional stress when the cow is lame, so we use the Hoof Tester Pro to determine its soundness before we glue a block.
Hoof Tester Pro
A reliable tool to localize pain, identify sound claws and evaluate hoof conditions, so you know the healthy claw can carry a block.
Visit StoreHow do you glue a block so it stays on?
The glue only sticks when there is no moisture. This was our normal process.
- Scrape the hoof clean.
- Trim the claw level, parallel with the ground, and make the surface a little rougher. Don't over-trim the claw that you want to block.
- Put some lines in it with the hook of your knife, so the glue can stick to it.
- Dry the claw with a heat gun or a little hair dryer, only to make it dry. You are not going to fry the hoof, because heating the claw is not good.
- Once the claw is dry, mix the glue. Later on, we used a glue gun with a mixing tube.
- When the glue starts setting, push the block on, and give it time to cure before she puts weight on it.
The set time differs per product, and glues today are made better and cure quicker than when I started, but you still need a curing time.
Why does a block come off in a cold barn?
In the cold, I have had a block come off when the cow put her weight on it, after I thought the glue was hard. When I trimmed in Alberta and Saskatchewan, we worked outside at -10°C or -20°C, and how quickly the glue cured depended on how cold it was outside and how early it was in the morning. Now the facilities are built bigger and newer, so you can move inside, and most trimmers are trimming in a relatively warm barn of about 10°C, because the cows heat up the barn as well. Even so, keep your glue warm wherever you can, at room temperature, because that is always better than having it in the barn, trying to mix it and patiently waiting till the glue settles.
What do you do when a block comes off too early?
A block can never be loose. It is on or it is off, and if it is off, you will find it in the barn. Usually, if a block was on for two weeks before it came off, there can already be a big improvement in the sore claw, and that is enough for a cow to pull through. When a block comes off too early, it needs to be installed again. You are lucky if it comes off in your chute before she walks out. Once she has stood on it and walked through it, she has probably made it wet and got some manure on it, so you have to put her back in the chute, prepare the hoof again and redo the block. If you cannot do that yourself right away and you have to wait for your hoof trimmer, please put her on a straw pack or soft bedding, so she does not walk far on concrete.
What can a block do for a lame cow?
Josh in Alberta, who managed about 55 cows in an old barn, once mentioned a cow in his dry cow pen that could hardly walk. When we got cow #67 moving, she took just 10 to 15 steps before lying down again. After trimming her right front leg, I discovered a small toe ulcer, and I placed her on a block. A month later, she wasn't limping anymore and had actually started to gain weight. Josh managed to sell her a few months later. I told the whole story in the Hoof Clip Unlocking Profits: The Real $37,200 Cost Of Neglecting Hoof Care.
How long does a block stay on?
Leave the block on for up to 6 to 8 weeks, and check her at 3 to 4 weeks. When it was time to take a block off, I used a fencing plier.
When is a block not the right choice?
The block needs a good claw to carry her weight, so when both claws are sore, a block is not the right choice. If she gets worse with the block on, take the block off and call your vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you warm a cow's claw before gluing a block?
No, the claw only has to be dry. Use a heat gun or a little hair dryer only to dry it, because heating the claw is not good. Keep the glue warm instead, at room temperature and not in a cold barn, and give it time to cure.
Why does my hoof block keep coming off in winter?
In the cold, the glue takes longer to cure, and you can think it is hard before it is. When the cow puts her weight on it, that is when the block comes off. Store the glue at room temperature, dry the claw well, and give the glue time to cure.
What should I do if a cow's block comes off too early?
The block needs to go back on. If you cannot do it yourself, put her on a straw pack or soft bedding until your hoof trimmer comes, so she does not walk far on concrete. If the block was on for two weeks, the sore claw can already be a lot better.
How long should a block stay on a cow?
A block stays on for up to 6 to 8 weeks, and the cow gets a check at 3 to 4 weeks. When it is time, take the block off with a fencing plier. If she gets worse with the block on before then, take it off and call your vet.
One last thing
How do you keep a block on, in summer and in winter? Let me know through the Contact page. I have also created an easily downloadable Hoof Disease Chart, which can assist you with the diagnosis of hoof problems.
