Such a wet Spring has not been very helpful when it comes to ‘hoof health’ and track conditions. It is fair to say that many dairy farms have more lame cows that normal.
I recently read a report that highlighted a number of important points.
Delays in treating lame cows significantly increases the cost of lost production, the chances of the cow not getting in calf, and the likelihood of not obtaining a satisfactory cure.
Cow slips and anti-inflammatories improve cure rates and minimise the loss of cow condition and milk production.
Antibiotics only improve cure rates in certain cases of lameness. For many cases, especially sole bruising and white line damage, cowslips and anti-inflammatories are more beneficial.