Today, some of our young girls received a bovine pedicure of sorts. While there was no clipping, filing or polishing, there was a special foot bath. They walked through a bath of copper sulfate. They needed this treatment because of Hairy Foot Warts. Contrary to what the name implies hairy foot warts are not warts at all. Viruses cause warts; bacteria cause hairy foot warts. Hairy foot warts are also a very expensive problem. It is estimated that hairy foot warts cause 20% of all dairy lameness cases, with each incidence of lameness costing $90 to $130 (Shearer, 2000). In addition to milk loss, which ranges from 20 to 50% in affected cows, hairy foot warts often lead to reproductive problems and premature cow culling.
If the cows can’t walk well, they won’t get to the feed bunks and eat properly or drink. Any stress takes it toll on milk production.
Our milking cows are treated three times per week. After milking, while leaving the parlor they walk through the bath. The clipping and filing comes later. Yes, we treat the girls to the rest of the pedicure procedure. The only thing left out is polishing.
After Farmer took care of the girls he played on top of the 20 X 80 silo. Two semi-loads of high moisture corn came and had to be blown into the silo. Once the silo is full the door is closed and the corn goes through its fermentation process. The corn is kept air tight and is unloaded from the bottom of the silo.
I spent the morning in the office spinning the wheel of fortune deciding who gets paid and who doesn’t. Milk prices are still dragging way behind. I guess one advantage is less time in the office – the money runs out quickly.
The next time I go in for a pedicure I think I will compare my bill with one of the girls. Maybe that will help Farmer.
