Effects of trimming on dairy cattle hoof weight bearing and pressure distributions during the stance phase

Claw lameness may be associated with biomechanical factors caused by imbalances of the pressure distribution under hooves when cows are confined on hard concrete flooring. Using a system based on a thin pressure measurement film (Matscan, Tekscan, Inc., South Boston, Mass.) developed forpressure distribution analysis of human feet, the pressures under the hooves of a population sample of 32 cows divided into trimmed and untrimmed groups were measured under dynamic conditions (stance phase) and compared to evaluate the effects of trimming in correcting the imbalance caused by overgrowth of hoof tissues. The results, obtained for three different points of the stance phase, showed that the pressure distribution under the medial sole, heel bulb, and toe of trimmed cows changed slightly as compared to untrimmed cows. The medial sole displayed higher peak pressures as compared to the heel bulb and toe, which displayed lower peak pressures at the midstance phase. In the acceleration phase, the overall peak pressures shifted to the toe, except on the rear feet of untrimmed cows, which maintained slightly greater (2.5%) peak pressures at the heel bulb than at the toe. The deceleration phase showed similar peak pressures at the heel bulb and lateral sole for both trimmed and untrimmed cows. It was concluded that trimming results in slightly higher pressures towards the medial sole. This may help improve gait stability by removing some of the peak pressures at the heel bulb and lateral sole (weight-bearing border). However, the higher peak pressures at the medial sole may cause an increase in stresses on that region and favor the incidence of lesions, particularly sole ulcers.4841653165