Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It was obvious that Christmas came early for our hard working 

hoof trimmer Ben when he arrived at the farm this week  with a new 

hoof trimming chute for our herd hoof check-up.

Although Ben is a master at caring for our cows' feet, it 

would  be  impossible to keep the cows comfortable and do a good job hoof 

trimming without the proper equipment.

I'm thankful for the investment  that Ben has made in this

 new equipment that improves his ability to care for our cows

  with increased comfort for each cow.

Hoof Trimming Artistry

Yesterday's schedule included the monthly visit from our cows' podiatrist, commonly known as the "hoof trimmer".  Providing hoof care prevents lameness that creates discomfort and leads to decreased milk production. It's a fact---high quality milk is produced from cows that are healthy and comfortable. One of the most common hoof problems for cows on our farm is when the hooves grow long in the front of the hoof making it difficult for the cow to walk.

Ben, our hoof trimming specialist, identifies hoof problems and works with precision and great skill to carefully trim each hoof as needed. He brings a special hoof trimming table that allows each cow to be treated individually. One by one, each cow walks into a chute that is connected to the hoof trimming table. Once secured in the chute, the hydraulic equipment secures the cow to the table and turns the cow on her side. After trimming the hooves, the cow is turned to the standing positon released from the chute and ready to eat or return to the pasture to rest. I find it amazing to watch how Ben works much like an artist, carefully making sure every precise movement of his tool results in a perfect hoof shape to provide comfort for the cow when walking.

I'm thankful for professionals, like Ben,  that work with us to make sure our  dairy cows are healthy and comfortable and able to produce  high-quality milk for my family and yours!

Raw Weather Dairy Care

Although we work outside every day in all kinds of weather, when the weather changes from a light jacket day to "can't put enough clothes on" day--that's what we consider, as my grandmother might have said,  a "raw" day.  Today's thirty two degree temperature with wind was a perfect "raw" day in northwest Arkansas! When we scheduled the hoof trimmer for his monthly visit to the farm, we had no idea it would be such a chilly day.  Even though we had several layers of clothes on, the cows actually seemed to enjoy this cooler weather!

Hoof trimming is important to the health of our dairy cows in preventing lameness or correcting problems that create lameness.  On hoof trimming day, the cows walk from the milk barn after being milked to the feed barn into a pen and alley that is connected to the special hoof trimming tilt table that is brought by Ben, our hoof trimmer.  With this special tilt table, Ben is able to secure each cow to keep her safe and comfortable and tilt the table to position the cow for easy access to each hoof.  Ben is like an artist at work as he shapes and trims each cow's hooves with his tools.  Every movement is done with precision and accuracy with the intent to provide cow comfort.

Our commitment to providing high quality milk begins with taking good care of our cows--regardless of the weather!

Pedicure for Cows

Have you ever heard of a bovine podiatrist? On our farm, we call this specialist a hoof trimmer. Yesterday was hoof trimming day. Ben, our hoof trimmer, comes to the farm once a month to trim and care for the hooves of our dairy cows. Hoof problems lead to lameness which can cause suffering,decrease milk production,and may lead to culling from the herd. Ben arrived with his portable tilt table and all the right tools as we began the morning milking. As cows left the milk barn, we moved those that needed hoof care into a special corral joining the hoof trimming area. From the corral, the cow is walked to the tilt table with the hydraulic layover chute allowing the cow to be place in a horizontal postion. This special table allows Ben to work on each hoof individually without causing stress and injury to the cow. Ben works as a skilled artist to shape the hoof to provide the optimal weight bearing surface. As I watched Ben working skillfully and diligently with his hoof trimming tools, I felt very grateful for all the professionals that assist us in providing care for our dairy cows. Happy Labor Day to all of you who labor for the love of agriculture!