CALGARY (Staff) – Commonly seen foot problems in cattle and their remedies are as follows:
- Foot rot is the most common problem and involves infection of the soft tissues of the foot along the junction of the skin and hoof. The infection often gets in through a wound in the skin caused by hitting gravel, dry, rough soil or coarse stubble that can pierce the foot. It can spread rapidly. Lameness is the first obvious sign. But caught early, the infection responds well to antibiotics. If swelling and extensive infection is present a cure takes longer.
- Sole abscess occurs when infection builds between the sole of the hoof and the sensitive tissues underneath. Lameness without obvious swelling is one sign of this infection. It’s often caused by a foreign object penetrating the foot. If hooves are overgrown, the sole becomes layered and foreign material can get trapped inside. Proper draining, trimming and antibiotics can help.
- Corns are growths found between the toes and can be varied in size and length. Lameness may start and if the growths are large enough they get irritated and infected.
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This is a heritable problem because corns develop when there is excessive stretching of the skin in the interdigital area. Poor foot conformation and ligament structure causes splaying of the claws resulting in tension of the skin. Fissures then result, leading to the growth of the corn, or fibroma. Small ones can be removed but if this is occurring on more than one foot, the animal should be culled.
- Sandcracks are vertical cracks down the front of hoof. Bacteria can get into the cracks and cause infection. This can be treated with antibiotics or iodine poured on the crack. The hoof can also be trimmed back so the animal is bearing less weight on the foot. Cracks could be caused by nutritional deficiencies. Sandcracks appear to be more of a problem in Alberta than other provinces.
- Founder or lam-initis is an inflammation between the hoof wall and the bone inside the hoof. The bone is called the lamina and if the condition becomes serious the lamina starts to break down. It is extremely painful and the animals might refuse to walk or stand.
Abnormal growth
In severe cases the lamina starts to separate and rotate down through the bottom of the hoof. As the separation occurs there is abnormal hoof growth. The hooves can be trimmed and treatment with medication is not always useful except to relieve pain.
Frischke said one of the most common causes of laminitis is grain overload, frequently seen in young animals between eight and 13 months. When a young growing animal is pushed too hard with grain, the rumen produces too much acid which enters the blood stream and subsequently creates an inflammation. It is most obvious on the front feet because that is where cattle bear most of their weight.
- Corkscrew claw occurs most frequently on the outside claw of the hind leg. It is heritable, stemming from abnormal conformation of the internal structures of the hoof. It may not show up until the animal is mature. In a younger animal the defective claw may be smaller than the other. The outer wall of the hoof tends to roll under and if left untrimmed will cause the hoof to spiral. Sometimes it curls over onto the other claw.
Corkscrew claw can be painful and makes walking difficult. Feet can be trimmed but culling is advised.
