18 Dec 2020
VetPartners launches project to encourage team working to treat a painful problem in cattle.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image © Marys_fotos / Pixabay
A project to encourage a team approach to recognising and treating pain in lame dairy cows has been launched by practice group VetPartners.
The veterinary group’s Project FEET, which stands for “Furthering the Evidence base on cow mobility by Engaging the whole Team”, aims to better understand attitudes towards recognising and treating pain by the wider health care team of farms, foot trimmers, vet techs and vets.
VetPartners’ production animal clinical board mobility special interest group (SIG) developed Project FEET, led by Emily Craven, ruminant clinical director at Oakwood Veterinary Group in Harleston, Norfolk.
She said: “Lameness in dairy cows remains the ‘elephant in the room’ where we know the national prevalence is high, but we are often guilty of thinking of it as someone else’s problem. It is a welfare issue for cows, a perception issue for dairy farming and is something that we need to collectively take ownership of.
“Improving lameness takes two angles – treating and managing lame cows, and preventing new cases. This project focuses on treatment and management of lame cows.”
As part of Project FEET, a questionnaire seeking opinions about lameness conditions and approach to treating various diseases has been launched. The survey takes 10 minutes, responses are anonymised, but participants at the end can be entered into a prize draw for £100 in Love2shop vouchers.
Different surveys are available for farmers, foot trimmers, veterinary technicians and vets.
On the importance of the condition, VetParners farm director Ian Cure said: “Lameness is something that directly effects on-farm efficiency for all of our dairy clients. By working together to improve mobility and foot health, we also reduce the risk of other diseases, such as mastitis and transition diseases, as well as improve welfare.”
And Rachel Dean, the group’s director of clinical research and excellence, added: “Project FEET is a great example of how we want to increase the evidence base to improve animal health and welfare.
“By working directly with the whole mobility team, we can identify practical, realistic solutions to improve the welfare of cows on farms.”
