Lower odds of sole ulcers in the following lactation in dairy cows that received hoof trimming around drying off.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Sole ulcers represent a significant welfare and production challenge in dairy cattle, yet the prophylactic value of strategically-timed hoof trimming has lacked robust scientific evidence until now. Thomsen and colleagues analysed over 621,000 hoof-trimming records from Danish dairy herds to investigate whether trimming cows around the drying-off period could reduce subsequent ulcer development, comparing ulcer prevalence at the first trim 0–180 days in milk against trimming timing in the previous lactation. Cows receiving hoof trimming at drying off demonstrated approximately 20% lower odds of developing sole ulcers in the following lactation, with baseline ulcer prevalence at 6.2% across the study population; ulcer risk increased progressively with advancing lactational stage, and older cows plus those with previous ulcer history remained at elevated risk despite trimming intervention. These findings provide the first substantial evidence supporting the widespread practice of drying-off trim timing, suggesting this represents a cost-effective preventive strategy that should be prioritised in herd lameness-control programmes, though practitioners should recognise that high-risk groups (aged multiparae and repeat offenders) may require additional management consideration.

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Key Findings

• •6.2% of dairy cows presented with sole ulcers at first hoof trimming 0-180 days in milk
• •Sole ulcer odds were approximately 20% lower in cows that received hoof trimming around drying off
• •Odds of sole ulcers increased with increasing days in milk
• •Older cows and those with previous lactation sole ulcers had higher odds of recurrence

Conditions Studied

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