Hoof Clips Newsletter
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Introduction to the Claw Check
Good day.
Last week, I met with Marc (our Intracare partner) and Yannick (our partner in Quebec). We ran our booth at the CDX in Stratford, Ontario. It is nice and motivating to meet so many dairy producers, veterinarians, hoof trimmers, and industry experts – proud and humbled to be part of the dairy industry.
On the Friday following the CDX, I was invited to a farmer’s event around hoof care at a local Ontario dairy farm, where we had fun with ten farmers. Yes, talking about hooves gets me excited ;)
A common question I often get is: How do we measure a hoof, and how do I know I’m not over-trimming? The answer to this question is complex to put on paper or in an email, but I’ll keep it short.
How do we measure a cow’s hoof for trimming?
Correctly measuring the length of the claw is essential to avoid over-trimming. In 1994, when I had my professional hoof care training in Oenkerk with Mr. Pieter Kloosterman, I was taught with graphics and hands-on practice. We measured the length of the claw with a piece of cardboard. Currently, this measuring is being done with our Intra Claw Check. The more cows you trim, the better you get at measuring.
Practical tip #1
One interesting item I would like to share is that learning to trim on ‘close-to-normal’ hooves will reveal that even ‘off-normal’ hooves follow the same measuring technique. However, you will build your sizing comfort buffer over time. Let’s face it: the one-size-fits-all idea does not hold when trimming a cow but provides a stepping stone for proper trimming.
Our Hoof Care Essentials Kit includes a complementary Intra Claw Check and an instruction manual on how to use it.
How to use the Intra Claw Check?
We use the Intra Claw Check only as a tool or guide to measure a cow’s hoof accurately. Several essential measurements ensure a comprehensive analysis of the cow hoof’s dimensions.
The Intra Claw Check is a tool that simplifies the work of hoof care professionals. It provides standard values associated with ‘normally’ grown claws and should not be rigidly applied to overgrown or abnormal hooves.
- Claw Length Measurement
When examining the claw of an average-size Holstein-Friesian cow, you need to start by measuring the length of the claw wall on the inner claw of the hind leg or the outer claw when trimming the front leg.
To get an accurate measurement, you should start at the point where the hard horn begins and measure to the tip of the toe. You can use the Intra Claw Check tool to mark the wall at 75 mm and make a vertical cut at the toe to the sole surface.
2. Toe Thickness Measurement
You can reduce the sole thickness accordingly once the cut to the correct length is made. The thickness of the Intra Claw Check is 5 mm, which is used to measure the sole thickness. The average distance from the coronary band to the tip of the claw is around 82 mm, which is accomplished when measuring the 75 mm claw length and 5 mm sole thickness.
3. Hoof Sole vs the Floor Check
Once the correct length of the claw is determined, it is time to trim the adjacent claw and match the claw length and heel height. To measure the balance between the claws effectively, use your Intra Claw Check tool and place it under the bottom part of the hoof, which is what we call the solar surface. This simple step helps you quickly notice if there’s a mismatch in the lengths and heel height of the claws. The goal here is to ensure both claws share the weight evenly, allowing your animal to stand comfortably and naturally.
Both claws’ soles should rest flat against the ground, ensuring even and correct contact and weight bearing, as it should be.
Practical tip #2
I do want to add a warning in between here: avoid over-trimming. This over-trimming can happen, for example, when trimming a rear foot and the inner claw is short or low in the heel. In that case, it’s impossible to match up the outer claw because it will end up too thin.
4. Hoof Angle Measurement
Control of the angle between the sole and anterior claw wall. The angle of the Intra Claw Check is set at 50°, allowing easy recognition of the acceptable variation of 45 – 50°. In my experience, keeping the heel height of the inner claw of the rear legs as high as possible is vital. Lowering that heel depth will put more pressure on the outer claw and cause potential problems, such as developing laminitis in cattle.
This basic measuring technique will help you with your hoof-trimming endeavors.
Where can I get the Intra Claw Check?
Our Essential Hoof Care Starter Kit is designed to help you get started with regular hoof trimming routines and helping to treat lameness. Our dealers and distributors can also assist you with refills of our complete Intracare product line.
Hoof Care Starter Kit
Embrace the journey towards excellence in hoof care, for every step taken to understand and manage this vital aspect of livestock farming is a leap towards sustainable profitability.
Happy Trimming!
Koos
The following downloads can be used with your DIY trimming efforts: