Have the right equipment to start. A good crush is vital in ensuring the cow is secure and the farmer has safe access to the foot.
Working outside ensures good light to inspect feet, working in poor lighting will lead the mistakes being made. Check the foot for any signs of infection and damage.
Trim the toe to the correct length. Between just below the hairline on the front of the claw, to the tip of the toe – should be around 3-3.5 inches, depending on the size of the cow. It is best to start trimming with the inside claw of the rear feet before making the outside claw match. Then move to the front feet. This should leave a square end to the toe.
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The next step is to work on the sole of the foot. It should be measured at the cross section of the toe.
The depth of the sole should not be trimmed below 0.25 inches thick and should remain solid and not bend to pressure under pressure from your fingers. The foot should be trimmed flat from front to back.
Avoid removing horn from the heel of the hind feet. Avoid trimming claws that are less than 3in long. For small feet, it is best to only trim the outside of rear feet.
The back of the foot should be measured from the bottom of the sole to just below the hairline. Only trim off horn when it measures at least 1.5 inches. When trimming the foot, you should finish with a flat surface across the horn which does not bend to pressure. It is helpful to push the claws together and use a flat object to check that a good walking surface has been achieved.
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Have the right equipment to start. A good crush is vital in ensuring the cow is secure and the farmer has safe access to the foot.
Working outside ensures good light to inspect feet, working in poor lighting will lead the mistakes being made. Check the foot for any signs of infection and damage.
Trim the toe to the correct length. Between just below the hairline on the front of the claw, to the tip of the toe – should be around 3-3.5 inches, depending on the size of the cow. It is best to start trimming with the inside claw of the rear feet before making the outside claw match. Then move to the front feet. This should leave a square end to the toe.
The next step is to work on the sole of the foot. It should be measured at the cross section of the toe.
The depth of the sole should not be trimmed below 0.25 inches thick and should remain solid and not bend to pressure under pressure from your fingers. The foot should be trimmed flat from front to back.
Avoid removing horn from the heel of the hind feet. Avoid trimming claws that are less than 3in long. For small feet, it is best to only trim the outside of rear feet.
The back of the foot should be measured from the bottom of the sole to just below the hairline. Only trim off horn when it measures at least 1.5 inches. When trimming the foot, you should finish with a flat surface across the horn which does not bend to pressure. It is helpful to push the claws together and use a flat object to check that a good walking surface has been achieved.
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