Hock sores
Sores on the hocks are caused by abrasions most commonly from cows scraping their legs on the bedding and are very common.
Care has to be taken to ensure bedding is non-abrasive, particularly matting in cubicles and that cows have sufficient room to rise and lie down naturally.
Mastitis
Housing cows brings them into closer contact with effluent and more care will need to be taken particularly if milking out of the shed. The type of bedding can have an influence on somatic cell counts (SCC) with sand the most sterile therefore helping to minimise problems. Straw often has the highest bacterial counts.
Teat sealing and dry cow management are likely to be advantageous.
The exact pathogen causing digital dermatitis hasn’t been isolated in slurry but cows standing in it are more prone to the painful disease. Automatic scrapers can increase the incidence of it on a farm. Of interest here too is that the cows anticipate the scraper and move away from their feed to face it head on as it passes.
