Applying a bandage to a cow’s foot is an essential tool for hoof care success. I’ve applied thousands of them during my trimming years and would like to share different options, to-dos, and viewpoints about using bandages on a cow’s hoof. Applying a...
When the subject of hoof care arises during on-farm visits, a full to-do list is often shared. Too many chores are already on the farmer’s daily to-do lists. Lameness treatments and hoof trimming aren’t their top priority either. Thus, the following question came to...
Adding formalin (also known as formaldehyde) to the foot bath is believed to make hooves harder. But when lameness is an issue, hoof hardness doesn’t always matter. Before adding formalin to your hoof products shopping list, consider all variables. Our dairy producers...
As a professional hoof trimmer, I have experienced days so hot that I wished I had a swimming pool nearby to dive into. This summer has seen excruciating high temperatures in Western Canada, with temperatures in Alberta hitting 40 degrees Celsius! We read a lot about...
It’s difficult getting the dairy barn floor right, isn’t it? Say you go with concrete flooring, which is by far the most popular choice. While durable and easy to clean, it’s also the most unforgiving surface for cows. Make it too abrasive and you’ll speed up hoof...
Lameness is a problem no dairy farmer can handle alone. As we at Diamond Hoof Care keep saying, hoof health should be a collective industry effort. That is, it should involve education, training, and knowledge sharing. Peter Best, an Australian lameness prevention and...
