Why you need to take care of animal's feet

Dear Daktari, I am a dairy farmer in Kanduyi with six diary crosses. Lately I have been having a lot of problems with lameness in my herd. Initially, my vet blamed it on hoof trimming which I am now doing but the problem is still persistent. What could be the problem?

[Bungoma County, William Wekesa]

Thank you for the question Mr Wekesa. An animal's feet is one of those organs that bear a lot of stress. It carries the weight of the animal and it is also in contact with the ground. At the point of contact many injuries can happen and lead to opening up of entry routes for other disease causing micro-organisms. Injured feet will also result into other issues like reduced appetite and milk production will also be affected. Unfortunately, this is a body part that most farmers ignore. Today, I will discuss common feet conditions.

Foot Rot

As the name suggests, this condition literally causes rotting of the feet. It is common in wet and humid conditions or where the animal's feet are submerged in mud or dirty water. Foot rot is caused by bacterial infection. It causes lameness on one foot and extreme pain. Affected animals also struggle to gain weight and have low milk production. Lame bulls will not mate. Animals with foot rot produce foul smell and affected area will produce pus. The condition should be treated as soon as possible otherwise it will progress to deeper foot structures.

Hard and Soft Feet

Soft foot conditions result from cracks on the feet. These cracks can be caused when the feet are too soft or hard. Soft feet can be caused by animals standing in wet manure, urine or water for long. Dry feet on the other hand result from animals that are kept in dry stalls with sawdust as bedding.

Laminitis or Founder

Laminitis is an inflammation of the laminar of the hoof wall. It results in long, overgrown and deformed feet or toes. Animals may appear lame or stiff and have difficulty in getting up and down.

Sole ulcers

These are raw wounds/sores and are associated with laminitis but can also result from prolonged steeping in manure and moisture or poor hoof trimming. They affect the hind legs.

Prevention and control

Hygiene: Most of the above conditions result from poor animal husbandry like exposing animals to dirty and damp conditions. Correct that by ensuring your animals spend time in a clean and dry stall. Remove sharp objects in the animal's environment to reduce chances of injury.

Proper hoof trimming: While this is a routine practice, most farmers do not carry it out or do it poorly. Overgrown and poorly trimmed hooves result in foot conditions. Always check the integrity of hooves whenever an animal is walking.

Early diagnosis and treatment is key: Sadly, most feet conditions are reported when it is too late.

[Dr Othieno is a veterinary surgeon and the head of communications at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Kenya. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of FAO]