Also works to force blood back up the limb. Figure 1 illustrates the anatomy of the hoof. Chronic laminitis includes cows with repeat injuries, possibly cows that are more susceptible to insult. These cows have feet with flat, broad toes which have deeply ridged surfaces. While the acute and chronic cases are easily identified, subclinical cases are less noticeable and can rob producers of significant profit dollars.
Laminitis results from a disturbance in blood supply to the foot.
The two systems are interconnected by capillaries located throughout the coronary cushion. As blood flow through this system is disrupted, foot tissue begins to breakdown and die. As the coronary cushion disintegrates, the coffin bone may actually shift position. As this occurs, the foot becomes painful and much more prone to injuries and infections. Estimates of hoof growth suggest the original injury to have occurred 60 days prior to detection, targeting the fresh cow phase as the prime area of concern.