BIOMECHANICAL BACKGROUND OF FUNCTIONAL CLAW TRIMMING IN CATTLE

In a natural environment like pasture with changing weather conditions the superficial layers of the claw sole crumble away and cattle walk mainly on the hard weight bearing border of the claw wall. The sole ca n yield elastically to hard cushions of the pedal bone. Under manmade conditions like cubicles without straw cows walk most time of their li fe on a flat, hard, rough and humid surface. The humidity of the floor soaks the weight bearing border of the claw wall and the rough surfac e of the ground quickly grinds it off to sole level. After three to fo ur months of walking in a cubicle the sole gets a flat shape and all p arts of the sole contact the ground. Walking on the hard surface stimu lates horn growth and by the time the more loaded claws (on hind limb the outer claws and on the forelimb the inner claws) get higher than t he less loaded ones. Under this conditions the axial area of the highe r claws bears too much weight and becomes susceptible to contusions th at may progress to sole ulceration. In cubicles functional claw trimmi ng is the mayor tool to prevent sole bruises. Most important purpose o f claw trimming is to keep inner and outer claws on the same level of height and to relieve the endangered caudal axial third of the sole by a slight carving.