I have asked myself, How much income potential is that lame cow losing? The answer varies depending on the stage of a cow's production cycle and the degree of her problem. About ten years ago, I had a fifth-lactation cow develop a lameness problem at calving time, which is the most costly time for problems to occur. Due to my negligence, I did not correct the cow's problem until 50 days later. I took this unfortunate opportunity to study her last four lactation curves and I developed what should have been her fifth lactation curve, had she not become lame, to learn just how much a case of lameness at calving was costing me. In her first four lactations, she peaked at 60 days, but in her fifth lactation she did not peak until 130 days. I estimated that I lost 2,230 lbs. of milk, which at $13.00 per cwt, equals $290.00.

Dr. Chuck Guard, veterinarian and associate professor at Cornell University, estimates the average cost of a lameness case is $302. This includes unrealized milk production, treatment costs, discarded milk, extra days open, involuntary culling, death loss and extra labor costs. If a herd of 100 cows treats 30 cases of per year, it will cost the dairy producer $9,075. Depending on the situation, the real lost income could easily be double or triple that. The $303 may look large, but I feel it is very conservative.

In my example, I showed a $290-loss in milk production. What Dr. Guard didn't not consider in is estimate is the cost to replace a cow relative to her stage of productive life. We should consider the huge loss associated with replacing a cow before she has reached her third lactation, with a springing heifer. In my herd, 26 fresh-lactation heifers averaged 19,750 of lbs. milk in 305 days. This same group completed their third lactation averaging 25,700 lbs. of milk in 305 days. This represents a difference of 5,950 lbs. of milk at $13.00 per cwt for $773.50. In other words, if my cows cannot reach their third lactation, I loose $773.50 in product value. And there are other costs related to replacing an older cow with a spring heifer, such as calving first-calf heifers, possible extra calving problems, training time, and culling for disposition and problem milkers.

Looking at the cost of lameness from a different angle, a well run dairy should return 24 percent to asset value. Subtract all cash expenses less: interest paid, family labor, owner-operator labor, hired labor, market value of home-raised feed and depreciation, and the money left is the return to asset value. This translates to $600 or more, profit per cow. If an operation is not achieving these figures, the milk tank has some holes.

To avoid lameness, I have found that maintenance trimming can plug holes in the milk tank and more. Perhaps if I had that fifth-lactation cow on a maintenance trimming schedule, she would not have been so susceptible to lameness at calving. The small amount of time and money it would have cost to trim her properly would have more than returned itself by preventing the loss I suffered.

(This article was published in the March 1998 edition of the Hoof Trimmers Association, Inc. Newletter. It is used here with permission.)

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