During hot spells, cows stand for longer and bunch around water troughs, collecting yards and cooler areas. This puts extra physical and environmental strain on their feet, while the heat itself triggers immune responses and raises inflammation and oxidative pressure.

Hoof horn starts from within

Healthy hooves and good-quality horn depend on the tissues beneath, and those tissues need the right nutrients for cell division, keratinisation and normal tissue integrity. Zinc is essential for all three of these functions.

The hoof grows from the coronary band to the toe, taking around 11-12 months to grow through. What we see in the hoof today can therefore reflect nutritional and environmental challenges from months ago, and these often show up in the horn as stress lines, also known as hardship lines. Once damage is done it is very difficult to reverse, so prevention is key.

How does zinc fit in?

Stronger hoof horn

Zinc plays a central role in keratin formation, cellular repair and the structural integrity of the claw horn. Put simply, it helps the cow build tougher, better-quality horn.

Better resilience to heat-induced oxidative stress

Heat stress increases oxidative and inflammatory pressure within the cow. Zinc is a component of key antioxidant enzymes, so it contributes to antioxidant defence and helps protect cells from that pressure.

Immune defence

Zinc supports normal immune-cell function and tissue repair. This matters most when hot weather is accompanied by wet or difficult underfoot conditions, hygiene challenges or increased exposure to infectious foot problems.

Are background zinc levels enough?

When it comes to supplementing minerals such as zinc, there isn’t always a clear picture of what is already available on farm, and that picture changes from year to year with forage type and quality, herd performance, water sources and other feedstuffs. That is why we always recommend a full mineral audit, so you know your cows are getting the level of supplementation they actually need.

Once we know your herd’s specific requirements, the next step is making sure the cow can actually use the zinc we put in front of her. To do that, a mineral needs to be:

• Soluble – able to dissolve so it can be taken up
• Stable – able to withstand the pH range of 2–7.4 it meets through the digestive tract
• Absorbable – able to pass through the gut wall
• Metabolically available – able to reach the target tissues and organs once in the bloodstream

Zinpro Availa and ProPathway minerals are combined with different naturally occurring amino acids, which are designed to help carry them through the rumen and abomasum to the intestine. From there, they can use several different pathways to cross the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. The aim is to make better use of these uptake pathways, rather than simply increasing the amount of zinc being fed.

Put Your Best Hoof Forward...

After a difficult summer, don’t wait for hoof problems to appear. Review the whole mineral programme, assess forage and water supply, and consider not just how much zinc is being supplied but the form in which it is delivered.

Remember that lameness is multifactorial. Cow comfort, lying time, flooring, hygiene, transition management, rumen health and routine foot care all remain key, and cows should ideally be supported through every stage of the cycle, from heifer through to dry, fresh and late lactation. Mineral nutrition supports those measures; it doesn't replace them.

Good hoof horn isn't built when the foot trimmer arrives. It's built months earlier, from the inside out.