A few years ago, I wrote about Brett Maupin's strangely satisfying and relaxing horse hoof cleaning videos, through which he introduced the public to the world of farriery. My algorithm has recently begun delivering videos of various bovine podiatrists demonstrating how they clean, repair, and otherwise take care of cow hooves. The videos are so interesting and educational! I've learned all cow hooves — what they're made of, how to clean and trim them, the kinds of common ailments that affect them, and more. While many content creators make these videos, the best, in my opinion, is Wisconsin-based Nate Ranallo, known on social media as "Nate the Hoof Guy."
I truly enjoy watching Nate work his magic on the cows he treats. He's so knowledgeable about what might be bothering each cow he encounters who's having trouble walking. When a cow's hoof is injured, Nate carefully uses his tools to cut away the keratin layers of the cow's claws (each hoof has two parts, or "claws") to reveal any problematic areas where the keratin didn't grow properly or where bacteria might be causing a buildup of fluid or pressure, or where the cow might have stepped on something that got lodged into its hoof, causing pain.
One of the things I learned through the videos is that while cutting layers off the claws with sharp tools might look painful, it doesn't actually hurt the cow. Nate is very careful not to cut into the corium, the highly sensitive living tissue underneath the keratin that produces new claw growth and which would be extremely painful if disturbed. He tells Wisconsin Public Radio:
It's [the keratin] much like our fingernails. The analogy I like to use is: The hard hoof part that they walk on is like a boot that we would wear. We wouldn't ever feel it if we were taking a rock out of the sole of our boot. The lesions inside those claws are obviously painful. That's why that cow may show signs of lameness. But if you work carefully around that area, you can prevent and eliminate a lot of discomfort.
In that same interview, he explains that helping people understand that hoof trimmers are not hurting the cows was actually one of his motivations for creating and sharing his videos:
I happened to come across a video online one time. It was a cow getting her hooves trimmed. People thought that it was some type of torture. This cow was just getting her feet trimmed, but the chute that she was in looked uncomfortable. So, people jump to conclusions. I wanted to be able to offer my own insight on these different problems — why they happen, what trimming actually is and why we do it.
Nate doesn't just tend to cows that are hurt, though; he also provides routine maintenance. He explains to Wisconsin Public Radio why that's needed:
Out on grass, hooves will naturally shed away. But because cows are inside on concrete a lot now — more than they ever were in the past — the hoof doesn't shed away naturally like it is supposed to. So, we have to trim them to keep them at the correct toe length and angles. That way the bones inside the foot work the way they're supposed to, and that prevents a lot of the problems that we deal with.
One of my favorite things about the videos is seeing how much happier and more comfortable the cows are after Nate fixes them up. It's always such a stark contrast to how miserable they are when walking in for treatment. Nate, too, finds this to be the most rewarding thing about the work he's doing, as he explains, "You know that even though they may not be able to talk to us, they can appreciate the relief that comes from that [the treatment]." Keep up the great work, Nate — I definitely appreciate your work, and I know the cows do, too!
Read the full Wisconsin Public Radio interview with Nate the Hoof Guy here, and to see more of his work, check out his Instagram or YouTube.
Previously:
• Watching these horse-hoof-trimming videos is surprisingly relaxing
• Watch cows relax on spa day
• Two songs with the sound of cows mooing
