The Force and Pressure Distribution on the Claws of Cattle and the Biomechanical Effect of Preventive Trimming

Increased use of artificial housing in dairy cattle husbandry has led to higher prevalence of claw disorders. Claw disorders affect cattle behavior and reduce animal welfare. The body weight of the cow is applied to the four feet and distributed over the contact area of the claws with the floor. This result in pressure on the soles; while standing on a hard substrate contact areas can be reduced and pressure concentrations can be induced (van der Tol et al., 2002). These pressures reach relatively high values during locomotion on a flat hard surface; resulting horn damage may be one of the primary causes of claw disorders (van der Tol et al., 2003). To prevent claw disorders, preventive trimming is often applied as a management routine, two or three times annually. In Western Europe the method used most is the so-called "Dutch method" described by Toussaint-Raven et al. (1985). In short, the goal of trimming is to promote natural loading of the claws by reshaping the claw capsule in three steps; (1) the toe length of the medial claw is cut to 7.5 cm and the sole is made flat, whereby the wall and sole are pared to the same level, (2) the contact area of the lateral claw is adjusted to the same height as the medial claw and (3) the axial walls are ...