Cowslips are lifesavers for many cows – without them many more cows would go to the works. This is assuming that the slips are put on correctly. I have seen many instances where they were not. Some dairy farmers think that cowslips are wonderful whilst others think they are too expensive and some could not make them stick on longer than a few steps. Others have commented: “just make sure you don’t have any dairy cow lameness at all!”

Working With Blocks and Lame Cows

Most of the farmers I know do not have easy answers to dairy cow lameness issues. Sometimes we come across a cow that has had a block applied to its sore claw. This clearly shows that some farmers do not understand how cow blocks or cowslips work. The idea of a block is to glue it underneath the healthy claw so that the sore claw is relieved from carrying any weight, allowing it to heal faster. The cow should then walk better immediately as her pain has been greatly reduced. A block should last on a cow for three to four weeks. This gives time for the damaged claw to heal.

Our company sells the Demotec FuturaPad claw blocks and the Bovi-Bond Block Adhesive and blocks instead of cowslips. This is mainly because they are easy to work with, are nowhere near as weather dependant in the time they need to set (can be used on cold or hot days) and, most importantly, we can place the block much better on the claw.
Often you find with the shoe-type blocks that they sit too far forward. This makes the heel part of the block wear too fast or they may even collapse in that part of the block. The cow has no choice but to walk on the heel of her foot which puts an enormous strain on the tendon keeping the pedal bone down. This can cause so much stretch in some cases that there is a degree of lasting damage.

Correct Application of a Claw Block

With a FuturaPad or Bovi-Bond block you can place the block as far back as you like, though obviously you would not want to place it too far back. The back part of the block should be flush with the heel of the cow. It doesn’t matter at all if the toe is sticking over the front as long as the heel is flush. This way the block will wear more evenly and that is also better for the ligaments. The block should also be placed flush with the inside of the claw and needs to be as flat as possible and not on an angle. Remember that the block is there to support the weight of the cow – that can only be achieved if the block is placed square and not too far forward.

The price of a block is often challenged. It does pay to shop around: there can be big variations in the prices of the same products. But, even if the blocks were sold for $100 each they would still be cheaper than a lame cow! We have recently become a distributor for the Bovi-Bond block. This is a fantastic product. We will also have an amazing launch deal on these blocks at the Southern Field Days. So if you are in the area pop in to check them out.

For more information and tips on working with blocks and on either of the two above-mentioned products, contact us on 0800 833463.

Veehof Dairy Services - Dairy Cow Lameness Experts