Tips on lifting a cow’s foot

From preparing the workspace to safety measures, here are some helpful ideas to make lifting your cow’s foot easier.

Good-quality hoof trimming requires skill and practice.

Poor trimming can cause lameness or make lameness worse, so practical training is strongly recommended. Regular refresher courses help to keep you up to date and to improve technique.

Before you start:

• Use a comfortable crush for inspecting feet
• Keep the crush clean and ready for use
• Choose a working area that’s light, dry and airy
• Make sure you have good cow flow, using a race
• Avoid cattle slipping by using a rubber mat, sawdust or similar substrates in the crush
• Do not lift the cow’s foot too high
• Start with the lame leg first

Where the crush doesn’t have a back bar, a back chain can make lifting a hind foot easier.

Using a chain around the rear of the cow removes the need to tie the leg to the back of the crush or a block, which cows dislike and puts the foot at an awkward angle.

Many crushes can be adapted by threading the back chain through the leg strap (Figure 1).

Figure 1. A back chain being used to lift the hind foot

Have your back to the cow and stand on the outside of the foot you are examining. You can work comfortably in this way.

Do not stand where you’re likely to be kicked.

Figure 2. Lifting a cow's hoof for inspection

A belly band gives cows more confidence and security during foot lifting, particularly when examining the front feet.

The band should be wide, forward on the animal and loose fitting. Take only some of the cow’s weight with the belly band. Avoid overtightening it.

The band is there to support but not to take the cow’s weight. You should still be able to fit fingers between the band and the cow.

In some crushes, lifting the opposite back leg can help. When examining a front foot, it’s usually safer to lift a back foot at the same time to avoid being kicked.

Invest in a purpose-built foot support. If a cow falls forward on the yoke, she can choke or crush the nerves on the point of her shoulder which supply her front leg, causing nerve paralysis.

Figure 3. Using a hoof trimming crush for routine foot care