Why choose Allen’s Hoof Care?
Hoof health effects milk production, fertility, longevity, cull rate, and overall health of the herd. The modern dairy cow performs at an elite level, much like a professional athlete.
Allen loves working with cows. Even back in his days as a farmer, he hired out the field work so that he could focus on his cows. Preventing lameness means greater milk production, more profits, and a healthier herd. Allen’s Hoof Care helps your herd reach its healthy potential. |
An animal deserves to be treated well. Cows that reach their genetic potential become happy, milky cows. |
Our Top Services
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Therapeutic Hoof Trimming for Healthy CowsReduces the likelihood of sole ulcers and white-line lesions. Plus it extends the cow's longevity.
Keep scrolling for more. |
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Treatment for Hoof LesionsWe pare away loose or damaged hoof and wrap with breathable wrap. We apply blocks to transfer weight from diseased claw to healthy claw. This elevates the good claw to relieve the claw that has the lesion.
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Foot Bath Product Sales and ConsultingWe provide recommendations and instructions for best products and procedures for more successful foot bath management to prevent foot rot and digital dermatitis.
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What does better hoof care look like?
Proper Dimensions
Our WayWe leave a ¼” of good sole to prevent lameness, while maintaining a heel depth of 1-1/2” and an average hoof length of 3-1/4” with a 50% hoof angle to prevent hoof lesions.
The Wrong WayOver-trimming results in thin soles which may cause lameness. Taking too much heel off results in reduced dorsal wall angle which increases the risk of trauma to the outer claw on the rear hoofs. |
Proper Trimming
Our WayWe help prevent sole ulcers by properly cupping, modeling, and trimming the sole. We model lateral heels to provide relief to the most common sole hemorrhage and sole ulcer site. Plus we inspect the white line to relieve it of cracks or pits and to remove foreign objects.
The Wrong WaySole ulcers result from not cupping and trimming enough off. |
Proper BalancingOur WayA balanced hoof wears evenly and is less prone to lesions. We balance all 4 hoofs - front to back and left to right - to establish a balanced weight-bearing surface using the “The Balance Method” of trimming.
The Wrong WayNot balancing the feet causes improper walking, improper weight distribution, and a greater likelihood of hoof lesions. Also, improper balance can often result in a pinch point, causing damage to the corium or white line. |
Proper Cow Handling
Our WayWe set up as many as 14 gates and arrange them with the cow flow (where the animals are used to traveling). The fiberglass gates control the flow of the cows in a way that keeps them calm without the need for cattle prods or shouting. The cows calmly follow each other through the process.
Using that many gates enables us to stage multiple cows at a time. Staging multiple cows means fewer trips to the pen that would otherwise stir up the herd. The Wrong WayCattle prods and yelling stir up the herd. Not enough gates means no staging. Working with only one cow at a time means frequent, disrupting trips to the herd which causes undue stress. |
Better Equipment
Our WayOur equipment supports the cow in a standing position for better comfort which prevents lower milk yield on trimming day.
Say good-bye to hard-to-read, hand-written, manure-splattered, hoof-trimming records! We use the Hoof Supervisor which is a chute-side data recording system that will allow trimmer, veterinarian, nutritionist, and herd manger to better understand the main issues causing lameness in the herd. We can make custom reports and graphs per herd and can monitor M-stages on digital dermatitis. This data can be easily exported to herd management software such as PC Dart or Dairy Comp 305. The Wrong WayTilt tables are unnatural and create more stress on the animal which can lead to lower milk production. |
Give their hoofs a rest!
Get your easy-to-install Mayo Cow Mattresses here. It helps hoof health by giving hoofs a rest. Your cows will love the soft and comfortable mattresses. Remember, a healthy cow is a more profitable cow.
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Treat their hoofs to the best!
You know that foot baths are a necessity to a healthy dairy. But how do you choose what products and schedule are right for your herd?
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