Ok...I'll admit my husband & I are newbies at raising cows. Tax lady said we had to have cows to satisfy IRS & farm expenses....so here we are with 10 lovely angus cows....all under 4! We are learning so much through our daily encounters with our herd. The latest surprise was when we called the vet because one of the 2yr old heifers, who is almost ready to calve, was limping and not putting any weight on a back leg. Waited a couple of days to see if she improved...but no! Vet came, sedated her and found the edge of one hoof turned under and cutting into her foot...had some infection. He gave her a shot and trimmed all her hooves...said we might have to do that every couple of years. I read that it's expected to trim feet of dairy cows...how about beef cattle? Is this a rare situation? Will all our cows need a farrier visit for a trimming? We've had a horse for years and knew going in that every 6-8 weeks he would need a trimming....but we are just so surprised about the cow and wonder what to expect.
It can happen in beef cattle and I wouldn't classify it as a common occurance nor would I call it uncommon, we find that a lot of it depends on the soil type and circumstances they were living in before. Something we've found that works well to keep the toes pared down if you have a single water source (like a trough or tub) is to lay down some gravel.
DH trims my Jersey's feet about twice a year, but the other cows (angus/Jersey cross) never need trimming. It could be that your cow has some kind of abnormality in her foot that is causing it to grow wrong.
We trim our Highland cow once a year when she goes to visit the bull. Our place just isn't big enough for her to get the proper wear on her hooves.
I have a shorthorn Heifer that has this problem. Farrier will be here over the weekend to trim her up. She is the only one in the herd that has a problem though..
Because of the severity of this particular cow, I'm wondering if she is also missing part of her tail. In extreme cold, calves that may freeze their tails & ears can also sustain frost damage to their feet that will show up as they get older.
Nope...she has all her tail & ears. She appears to be in perfect condition. That is why we were surprised about her feet. Vet said could be genetic...but who really knows. She had her calf today and what a cutie he is....full of energy and mom is taking good care of him. We'll keep her feet trimmed if need be...she's too good a cow to cull.
