Professional Hoof Trimming - Tues 13th to Fri 16th Jan (Day 5 TBC)

Professional Hoof Trimming Course Proposal for 2025

Trainers: Ned Dunphy Professional Hoof trimmer and trainer

Ger Cusack MVB MRCVS Cert DHH

Bob Twigg Professional Hoof Trimmer

Ger Malone (Manual handling)

Syllabus and Timetable for 5 day course

Day 1:

A.M. Welcome and introductions

Anatomy of the bovine foot

Rationale behind the trimming of feet

Common lesions of the bovine foot

5 Step Dutch Method of foot trimming

12.00 Practical demonstration of 5 Step Dutch Method of hoof trimming

P.M. Practical hoof trimming on live cows

Day 2:

A.M. Equipment and tools required for hoof trimming

Safe use of knives and grinders

Knife sharpening skills

Introduction to Mobility Scoring

10.30 Practical hoof trimming

P.M. Practical hoof trimming on live cows

Practical Mobility Scoring

Day 3:

A.M. Manual handling and avoiding injury

Cow welfare and the impact of impaired mobility on same

P.M. Practical hoof trimming on live cows

Day 4:

A.M. Cost of lameness to farmers and to the industry

Prevention of lameness at farm level

Footbaths and control of infectious causes of lameness

Roadways and farm infrastructure

Achieving good cow flow on dairy farms

Cow handling skills

12.00 Practical hoof trimming

P.M. Practical session covering roadways and general farm infrastructure

Lameness risk assessment on a dairy farm

Professional Hoof Trimming Course