Partial herd hoof trimming results in a higher economic net benefit than whole herd hoof trimming in dairy herds.
Authors: Waldbauer Marlena, Spackman Eldon, Barkema Herman W, Pajor Edmond A, Knauss Sebastian, Orsel Karin
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Partial Herd Hoof Trimming Economics in Dairy Sole ulcers remain a significant economic burden in dairy herds, particularly in freestall systems, driving treatment costs, labour demands, and productivity losses. Researchers used a Markov model to compare two common trimming strategies—partial herd trimming every two months versus whole herd trimming every six months—evaluating net economic benefit over a three-year productive lifespan in a 100-cow herd. Partial herd trimming proved consistently more cost-effective, delivering a net benefit advantage of US$4,337 (95% CI: US$2,713–US$5,830) across all modelled scenarios, with benefits increasing further in larger herds. However, the critical factor determining success was *targeted* selection of cows requiring intervention; when trimming selection was randomised rather than strategic, whole herd trimming became economically competitive. These findings underscore that effective sole ulcer management depends not simply on trimming frequency, but on the ability to identify high-risk individuals early and intervene selectively—a finding that rewards farms investing in robust foot health monitoring systems and disciplined risk-based decision-making over blanket protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Implement targeted partial herd trimming every 2 months focusing on high-risk cows rather than trimming the entire herd every 6 months—this saves approximately $4,300 per 100-cow herd over 3 years
- •Accurate early identification and selective trimming of at-risk cows is essential; random trimming selection negates the economic benefit
- •The financial advantage grows with larger herds, making targeted trimming strategies increasingly valuable for commercial operations
Key Findings
- •Partial herd hoof trimming every 2 months was cost-effective 100% of the time compared to whole herd trimming every 6 months
- •3-year net benefit difference favoring partial herd trimming was US$4,337 (95% CI: US$2,713–US$5,830) for a 100-cow herd
- •Targeted selection of cows for trimming was critical; random selection eliminated the cost advantage of partial herd trimming
- •Cost advantage of partial herd trimming increased with larger herd sizes