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The Hoof Trimming Association (HTA) holds a hoof health conference every 18 months. To ensure representation from different regions of North America, they hold these meetings in various locations. This year’s conference is held February 22-24 in Orlando, Florida. The conference spans two days and covers a variety of topics including hoof trimming, public relations and conferences. Another day at the farm allowed trimmers to see cows being trimmed with new equipment, as well as a carcass lab giving trimmers the opportunity to trim and be evaluated by others.
With the advent of the FARM programme, all dairy farms were assessed for lameness. Although pruning is not standardized, nor are pruners licensed in any way, dairy cooperatives may require benchmarks from pruners, some of whom may be attending pruning schools and continuing education events. Farm managers and owners are increasingly encouraging their trimmers to pursue continuing education, even if not required by farm plans. HTA allows members to network with other trimmers, learn about the latest equipment and new products, and learn about some of the latest research.
This year’s conference included many presentations.
Graeme Parker, known as The Hoof GP, took to social media to speak out about his presence. His YouTube channel has over 2 million followers, making it one of the most watched channels in the agriculture sector. Social media is here to stay and we can use it to our benefit. There are several Facebook pages dedicated to hoof trimming. We can all watch and post about positive hoof trimming experiences.
Neil Barrett is a hoof trimmer from the UK and president of the National Cattle Hoof Trimmers Association (equivalent to the HTA). He talked about how their association created certifications for their trimmers. There are no government regulations yet, but their association sets standards for certified trimmers. It provides farmers with assurance that pruners have completed formal training and have a certain level of competency. There has been a lot of discussion as to whether this is an issue that HTA needs to address.
William Davy, DVM, is a veterinarian conducting hoof research at the University of Ghent, Belgium. He presented his research data, detailing the pressure on the hoof and where the weight is actually bearing. The claw walls bear more weight and the soles of the feet less than most people expect.
Dan Shearer, DVM, Iowa State University, gave two presentations: one on consumer trust and another on digital dermatitis (DD). His main point about trust is that we all need to put animal welfare before profit and production. Regarding DD, he emphasized the importance of regular hoof trimming and foot baths to manage the condition. There is enough anecdotal evidence to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of foot baths when keeping in mind the correct placement, depth, and concentration of the products used. He also advocates using cotton-free wraps when performing topical treatments.
Dr. Jennifer Wilson-Wilder presented her research and findings on DD. She and others on her team working at the Iowa Department of Agriculture in Ames, Iowa, have made great strides in identifying various treponemal bacteria associated with DD. Some of her special research includes how DD hybridizes with other species, particularly elk.
Pruning day held at Sutton Milk. The farm is located near Okeechobee, Florida. Trimmers can watch different trimmers trim on different pieces of equipment, including a right-side dwell squeeze chute, a left-side dwell tilt chute, and a hydraulic lift upright chute. There is also a corpse station with four stands. Trimmers can try their skills using one of six different trimming wheels. There was a lively discussion about pruning styles and techniques.
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