Development of Best practice in Swedish claw care
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Short summary
Every year, about 500,000 claw trimmings are recorded in Swedish dairy cattle. The aim of claw trimming is to detect, treat and prevent painful claw lesions. However, the claw trimming in itself can be harmful and cause claw lesions if it is not done correctly.
The aim of the project is to develop evidence-based standards for claw trimming, adjusted to current technology and housing systems, and to develop a quality control routine.
The project includes lab studies of the claw trimming effects on claw biomechanics in relation to trimming manner and flooring, epidemiological studies of long-term clinical effects of different trimming methods as well as development of a standard for quality audits of the claw trimming in the field. Robust cows with healthy feet mean better animal welfare, improved economy and better competitiveness for dairy producers. The project is a result of collaboration between SLU and Växa Sverige within the framework of Växa's quality assured claw care.