In order to keep healthy feet, a cow should have her hooves trimmed regularly. This helps her maintain a healthy balance by supporting her body with her skeletal system. Cows are big, and have a lot of body to support, hence when footcare is so important. If a cow is comfortable and happy, she can make more milk, more efficiently.
Today was "mani-pedi day" for some of the dairy girls. They got their hooves cleaned off and all the excess "toenail" removed (same theory as clipping your own fingernails...except the clippers are much bigger). Anybody who had a bit of digital dermatitis (a common foot problem caused by a wart virus) was treated, and now is wearing a pretty orange "sock" (a bandage used to keep the treatment on the hoof long enough to be effective).
Despite some minor protesting (my younger brother was always a protester. Mom could only clip his toenails while he was sleeping), everybody behaved relatively well for the hoof trimmer. With the exception of DUTCHESS and COOLWHIP (who tried to escape before they could have their toes looked at) things went smoothly!