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Ten Reasons to Ensure Healthy Hooves in Dairy Cows
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Intra Hoof-fit Spray puts all signals on green
Keeping dairy cattle hooves in optimal condition throughout the year does not have to be a costly or difficult task.
| It is important to know the variables to keep hooves healthy and under control during the periods between hoof trimming |
In the past, hoof baths or mats were often used, but these methods will become obsolete. These 10 ‘signals’ show that spraying is the future.
1. ALWAYS USE CLEAN PRODUCT
Because all hoof baths and mats are quickly contaminated with manure during use, after a while there is no clean product left to come into contact with the hooves.
With a spray application, whether with low-pressure sprayers, battery-powered sprayers, or automatic robot sprayers, each hoof receives a fresh and clean application with a strong adhesion, a condition for true success.
2. REDUCE THE FREQUENCY
Traditional hoof bath protocols usually prescribe a minimum treatment of 2 days per week, after each milking, that is, more than 4 times per week.
There are even protocols that require a routine 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
| With Intra Hooffit Spray, only 1 application per week covers the need to keep hooves healthy.
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Knowing that consistent protocol compliance is essential, establish a specific time in the week to have a greater chance of success in implementation.
3. REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PRODUCT REQUIRED
For a traditional 200-liter footbath, 10 liters of product are often added and used for up to 200 cows. This amounts to 50 ml per cow, equivalent to 200 ml per cow per week.
A weekly spray requires about 40 ml per cow.
4. GREAT TIME SAVINGS
A hoof bath requires additional labor to set up the footbath, prepare the solution, (re)route the cows, refill the bath after 100 passes, and clean it after use. This must be done at least 4 times a week.
Spraying in the milking parlor or at the feed fence is much faster and easier. Additionally, it saves time because it only needs to be done once a week and Intra Hoof-fit Spray ready to use requires no preparation time.
5. ECONOMIC BENEFITS
The weekly bath costs between 15 and 40 € per cow/year if questionable products like formaldehyde or copper sulfate are used.
In the case of hoof mat systems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the annual costs even exceed 80 € per cow.
| A year-round protocol can be established with Intra Hoof-fit Spray for less than 10 € per cow, offering each farmer considerable cost savings. |
6. FOR THE WHOLE HERD
Hoof baths and mats only reach dairy cattle. Knowing that heifers from 1 year onwards are the reservoir of hoof problems and that the dry period is the ideal time to restore hooves to optimal condition, it is important not to forget these important groups.
The spraying reaches the whole herd and ensures that new animals or those returning to the milking parlor start with hooves in excellent condition.
7. SAFETY FIRST
Copper sulfate and formalin contain hazard symbols indicating they are corrosive to equipment and skin. Additionally, formalin has recently been declared carcinogenic and copper sulfate in hoof baths is largely banned in Europe because it is harmful to the environment.
| If these products are used in a footbath or on a mat, more than 90% ends up in the manure pit. |
Intra Hoof-fit Spray does not have these hazard symbols and ends up 90% on the hooves. It is safe for farmers, cows, the environment, and manure digesters.
8. FIELD TESTED
The growing attention paid to spraying methods by dairy producers and robot manufacturers already indicates that the method works well.
This is confirmed by many reviews from dairy farmers, hoof trimmers, veterinarians, and retailers who regularly visit the facilities.
| The use of Intra Hoof-fit Spray at the Dutch Dairy Institute shows that by trimming the hooves 2 or 3 times a year, if necessary with Intra Hoof-fit Gel alternated with Intra Hoof-fit Spray in the intermediate periods, hoof problems persist less than 5%. |
9. FARMER’S EYE
When the cows walk through a hoof bath or on a mat, the farmer often does not see them.
Lame cows know when a painful bath with formalin or copper sulfate is prepared and will reject it or be the last to go through the contaminated bath.
Thus, those that need the most support are the ones that bathe in the worst conditions. It has been shown that lame cows have fewer steps in the milking robot if they know that such a bath is included.
| With spraying, the entire dairy herd is equalized: the good and the bad, the young and the 100,000-liter cows.
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10. LESS INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT BY HOOF TRIMMERS OR VETERINARIANS
Lameness, along with fertility and mastitis, is the biggest expense for any dairy producer.
Worldwide, an average of 20-25% of dairy cattle have hoof problems.
Reducing these hoof problems to just 5% of the dairy herd through the consistent use of Intra Hoof-fit Spray will greatly reduce the number of treatments required by hoof trimmers or veterinarians.
This represents a significant additional cost saving for the farmer and a healthy hoof leads to greater milk yield.
You may be interested in: Promote Hoof Health with The Real Green from Intra Hoof-fit
