Understanding and Mitigating Lameness

This virtual workshop is for anyone who works with dairy cattle. This program will cover how to identify lameness, what factors cause lameness, and practical strategies to avoid and mitigate lameness on your dairy.

Sponsors

We appreciate the generous support of our industry sponsors.

• ASAP Interiors
• Chr. Hansen
• Dairy Health & Management Services
• Farm Credit East
• Feedworks USA
• Keseca Veterinary Clinic
• Lutz Feeds
• Perry Vet
• Zinpro Corporation

Available Recordings

Economic Impact of Lameness

A brief overview of the impact lameness has on farm profitability due to milk loss, delayed conception, and costs related to extra handling, treatment, and early culling.

Risk Factors and Best Management Practices

Improving lameness in your dairy herd needs a multi-faceted approach. Presenters will discuss herd management and facility factors that are known risk factors for lameness and strategies to reduce lameness on your farm.

Foot Baths

A brief discussion on the best practices for implementing and managing footbaths

Effective Lameness Detection

Early detection of lameness combined with a routine foot-trimming program is critical to minimize the impact on the farm.

Spanish Recordings

Presenters

Dr. Jan Shearer, DVM

Professor, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Jan Shearer is the Dairy Extension Veterinarian at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Shearer has several decades of experience in training producers on the best approaches to manage lameness in cattle. He established the Master Hoof Care Program, a training program designed to teach on-farm employees how to properly trim and treat foot problems. Since 1996, this program has acquired international prominence for its impact on foot health in dairy operations.

Lindsay Ferlito, MS

NCRAT Regional Dairy Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Lindsay Ferlito has a passion for cow comfort and the dairy industry. For the last 10 years Lindsay has been conducting applied research focusing on cow comfort and facilities, delivering educational programs on cow comfort and lameness, and providing producers with herd specific feedback relative to regional benchmarks. By visiting hundreds of dairies across the country, she has gained a unique perspective and understanding of cow comfort and the dairy industry both in New York and across the United States.

Betsy Hicks, MS

SCNY Regional Dairy Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Betsy Hicks considers lameness avoidance to be essential to a profitable dairy farm. She approaches cow comfort and lameness from her dairy cattle nutritionist background. In her role as a Dairy Specialist, she has conducted applied research, developed and implemented educational programs and collaborated on efforts to decrease and effectively prevent lameness in dairy cows.

Margaret Quaassdorff, MS

NWNY Regional Dairy Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Margaret Quaassdorff brings her experience as a herd manager and nutritionist to the subject of reducing lameness in dairy cows. Margaret takes a practical approach to implementing lameness avoidance practices on dairy farms. She has collaborated on lameness mitigating educational programs and applied research.