New training videos on cattle mobility

The guide and videos are designed for the ‘Fab Five’ Foot Treatment Team – farmers, vets, foot trimmers, mobility scorers and nutritional consultants – to emphasise the importance of working together to improve herd mobility.

The step-by-step cattle mobility guide highlights the importance of implementing a robust and ongoing treatment plan to improve cow comfort and reduce lameness in the short-term. This will lead to increased production and herd welfare in the longer-term.

The steps feature advice on reviewing whole herd mobility by a suitable person if lesions are identified; treating affected cows within 48 hours of identification using a combination of trim, block, topical antimicrobial spray and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), as appropriate; and the importance of ongoing treatment, prevention and monitoring every fortnight.

A suitable person would include: an independent RoMS (Register of Mobility Scorers) accredited mobility scorer, seeking veterinary advice or contacting a mobility mentor (someone who has been trained to deliver the ADHB Healthy Feet Programme).

The guide also includes tips for the successful use of NSAIDs, which include the importance of using a NSAID with a zero milk withhold.

Expertise-led lameness management videos

The lameness management videos are produced in collaboration with James Wilson BSc (Hons) PhD, a foot health consultant from Herd Health Consultancy and feature contributions from:

• Alex Burrows, professional foot trimmer and chair of the National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers (NACFT)
• Dave Bacon, a dairy farmer from Gleadthorpe Farm in Nottinghamshire
• Shannon Trinder, assistant herdsperson at Gleadthorpe Farm
• Harry Walby, veterinary surgeon and ruminant technical advisor at Ceva Animal Health.

They cover the benefits of regular mobility scoring, prioritising lameness prevention in heifers and maintaining successes with practical and effective lameness treatment and prevention programmes across the whole herd.

“I was delighted to be involved in the new dairy cattle mobility videos and guide which provide extensive advice on lameness treatment and prevention programmes and the importance of rigorous mobility scoring.

“Using this guide to help you prioritise mobility in heifers, particularly in regard to NSAID usage, will help to deliver measurable positive change to herd mobility,” comments James Wilson, foot health consultant.

Harry Walby, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, manufacturer of Ketofen, adds: “Our new cattle lameness step-by-step guide and lameness management training videos provide invaluable advice to promote best practice and the planning and implementation of an effective and easy to follow herd mobility improvement programme which will help increase production and herd welfare.”

How to get you cattle mobility guide and videos

To download a copy of the step-by-step guide, go to: www.wavegoodbyetopain.co.uk/pdf/step-by-step-guide.pdf

To view the lameness management training videos, visit: www.wavegoodbyetopain.co.uk/training-videos.html

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