Bovine podiatry

Keeping cattle healthy, one hoof at a time

Photography by Jean Sowders

Trimming cows’ hooves sees like a daunting job, but aided by his specialized equipment, professional trimmer Caleb Spencer can handle 50 or 60 cows per day.

Each cow is led into Spencer’s panel system and belted to his layover table — a hydraulic unit that allows him to safely secure the animal.

Spencer tilts the table to move the cow off her feet, then secures each foot individually with a rope attached to the table.

He trims each hoof with a titanium carbide bit trimmer.

Spencer carefully cleans out every hoof.

If Spencer discovers an abscess, he’ll treat the infected area with an antibiotic, and wrap the hoof with an adhesive bandage.

When trimming, cleaning, and treating are finished, Spencer flips a lever to turn the table and sets the cow back on its feet. He unbelts her, guides her out of his gate/panel system, and leads in the next cow.