An Alternative Approach to Preventive Trimming

An high percentage of dairy cattle in the Netherlands is showing one or more claw disorders at the moment of regular claw trimming (Somers 2004; Holzhauer 2006). When cows suffer from claw disorders that result in lameness, they are restricted in their natural behavior. Hence they show to have pain and in severe cases they have to be culled (Webster 1995; Whay et al. 1998). In the current debate on animal welfare, production animals should be kept free from pain and suffering. Claw disorders in dairy cattle are a main subject of public concern that harms the image of the dairy sector. With the introduction of rubber covered floors, farmers have the chance to offer cows a mechanically less challenging environment. However, considering the amount of money involved in rubber top layers most cows are still kept in loose housing systems with concrete ...