Make Cow Hoof Inspection Easier

Lameness in dairy cows can have a significant effect on a business's bottom line, with vets suggesting that each case has a cost implication of $400-500, made up of increased labour, vet bills, drugs, and of course lost production. Reducing lameness on-farm requires early identification, effective treatment, and a lameness prevention plan.

Effective lameness treatment is critical and will ensure faster recovery for the cow. Those treating cows need to be confident about what they are doing with appropriate training and experience. Many farmers will use a hoof trimmer or veterinarian to treat lame cows – this is a great idea if you struggle to find time to treat cows or have cases you are unsure of how to treat.

Dairy NZ has some great resources to help farmers develop a lameness prevention plan and other resources and advice. They recommend lame cows should be kept on pasture, not have to walk long distances and be provided good quality feed and easy access to water. If possible, utilise once-a-day milking for lame cows and depending on the time of the season dry lame cows off to allow the cow time to heal.

To make treating lame cows easier it is a good idea to have a good cattle crush. A quality cattle crush will help keep you or your vet safe while treating lame cows.

The Te Pari Hoof Handler Crush has been designed specifically with dairy farmers in mind and offers excellent access for hoof paring and treating lame cows as well as providing safe, easy access to the head, neck, and body of the cow for other vet tasks.

Pictured above is the Hoof Handler crush back leg winch in action. This system makes it easy for the operator to lift the cow’s leg and keep it securely held in place when inspecting or trimming rear hooves. In addition to this, a belly strap comfortably holds the cow up to prevent them from going down.

Heavy duty back leg winch for easier hoof trimming & treatment

The Te Pari Hoof Handlers back leg winch is for lifting back legs to a safe and more comfortable working height. The heavy-duty winch features gearing to make lifting the animal's legs easy, while also incorporating a non-slip return system to allow proportional adjustments and a controlled release back to the ground.

Front Hoof Blocks for safe and easy hoof handling

The Hoof Handler Crush also has a heavy-duty front leg winch for front hoof inspection. The easy-to-use winch engages the brake instantly when the handle is released, ensuring that under no circumstances can the handle spin independently of the operator.  The optional front foot support blocks (Wopa Blocks) are designed to provide maximum access to the front feet. The front feet are placed on the support blocks and securely fastened with a soft rope.  Both front and back leg winches are height adjustable to suit the operator & cattle size. An optional rear belly strap is also available to offer greater support to the animal and increased safety for the operator.

The Hoof Handler Crush gives you the ability to safely access the animal, with a number of different access gates. In the front, there is a top access gate, great for accessing the belly of the animal. At the bottom there is an access gate for the hoof area, this can also be removed. At the back, we have the rump gate which can be used for mothering-on calves. An option on Hoof Handler crushes is the Vet back section, this extra space with its own gate provides safe access to the back of the cow.

Featuring heavy-duty construction, using fully hot-dip galvanised Australian steel, the Hoof Handler Crush incorporates the Te Pari C1000 Head Bail which is a well-proven design. It’s so reliable that it comes with a lifetime warranty on the lockbox mechanism. This head bail offers the benefits of wide opening doors, quiet operation, a simple locking system and a neck yoke for complete restraint and safety.

Designed and built by Te Pari in NZ specifically for dairy farmers, attention to detail at the design and manufacturing stages means routine or remedial hoof work is safer and easier for farm staff or visiting professionals, with the added benefits of getting cows back on their feet sooner and maintaining peak milk production.

Watch the video to see more about the Hoof Handler Crush!