Education Modules
There are three courses available - Basic, Advanced and Instructors.
Basic Course
This is a 2-day course held at my location in my shop located just north of London Ontario in Arva. The class runs from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm with a maximum class size of 4 people. The cost is $998.92 (includes HST) CDN funds, includes drinks, hot lunches, break food, plus a tool kit of hand tools and supplies. You will also receive a small library of reference materials to take home, including the White Line Atlas Method of Trimming, Hoof Signals by Dr. Jan Hulfsen, and an Intra Care Product line sample package as well as a glue kits and blocks. Day one is classroom using the modules, and day two is practical trimming on cadaver feet, how to correctly block a foot as well as applying a correct wrap on a foot.
In order to successfully trim feet, each participant will understand the responsibility to the craft of trimming the bovine foot. This course ensures each module has a solid background that reflects the desired goals for successful herd management.
The course will include guidelines and recommendations from the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle(Dairy Farmers of Canada and the National Farm Care Council 2009- March 31 -2024). References from the Canadian Quality Milk Assurance Program (CQM) and Dairy Farmers of Canada ProAction guidelines are requirements are incorporated. Comprehending genetic structure is key for the person wanting to improve leg structure. This course is designed for the herd's person or farmer who wants to successfully care for hoof health between a professional hoof trimmers visits.
This module allows you to get a deeper sense of responsibility to animal care using the Recommended Guide for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle in context with Dairy Farmers of Canada's Pro Action Program. Students learn maintenance and therapeutic trimming. Also students learn about animal signals in motion and foot profiling. Every student gets a starter kit to take home with tools and a small library on hoof care.
This module allows you to gain insight into the effect on foot health, such as weather, types of environments, genetics, nutrition, and animal comfort and behavior patterns.
This module allows you to understand why my company motto is "Knowledge from the inside out." Each student gets their own anatomy models to use. Knowledge of anatomy give a better understanding of the next module regarding biomechanics.
This module generates quite literally a lot of energy for the class. Here we discuss how energy is dispersed throughout the leg and foot of the animal while in motion or standing. This module explains the positive and negative effects on foot health of profiles cattle can exhibit.
This module gives you a wider sense of tools and how different tools are required for different jobs. How to sharpen a knife and protect your tools. You can handle different hand tools and various grinders and cutting wheels from a beginner to a professional. Here you can find your comfort zone safely on cadaver feet. They won't feel a thing.
This is the most important module I teach. Safety involves you, the people around you as well as the animal(s) you handle. This module involves safe handling of livestock, knowing how to handle tools and safety equipment. Also included are safety and insurance regulations.
This module creates an understanding of the types of lesions that affect foot health, as well as how and why. The basic recording system is taught, and electronic recording is taught in the advanced class. Correctly recording lesions is a must for anyone from professional to the farmers caring for their own cattle.
This module teaches you how to properly block or wrap a foot as well as when and if you should. You will also see actual case studies of lesion healing rates with photos and videos over time. This will help instill confidence in your ability to help your animals and your bottom line.
This module proves the importance of time management in hoof health. You will see examples of the timely intervention of cattle just gone lame versus the financial loss of ignoring a lame cow. You will learn the dollar value of lesions and how trimming cattle on time can easily pay for investing in equipment to care for your animals and yourself.
News Update
A four year Danish research comparison study on trimming methods (2021) confirmed the value of the White Line Atlas Method trimming.
Just released*** August 2022 "Comparison of Claw Horn Disruption Lesions in Four Dairy Herds Using Two Different Trimming Techniques: A Case Study". The Veterinary Journal 287 (2022) 105886. N. Capion, E. S. Cannings, M. A. Krogh. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023322001010?via%3Dihub
Copies made available upon request.
Advanced Course
This course is three days. The maximum class size is three people.
The cost is $1808.00 (including HST) and again includes the same food and tool package as the basic course.
Day 1 consists of knowledge upgrades to understand complicated lesion profiles, energy profiles of foot conformation via anatomy and biomechanics, and economics. This includes correct lesion identification using the International Committee of Animal Recording (ICAR) Foot Atlas (2015). Various electronic recording systems such as Hoof Supervisor, All4Feet, and the Hoof-Tracker are studied.
Day 2, students will be trimming cadaver feet with challenges and evaluations.
Day 3 is our on the farm day. We will be doing live cattle evaluation and hoof trimming. This host farm has an excellent processing and work area that is clean with of space for evaluation and working on cattle.
Advanced Course Modules
The concept of WLA derives from the concept of Breed Improvement. Hence the term "The animal is the evidence."
This concept revolutionized livestock production capacity by creating a committed core of breeders who shared the vision of improving livestock, generating more wealth for farmers by providing credible and valuable genetic opportunities. This allows society to have a more stable and sustainable food source for humanity.
Click the link below for more info.
We explore animal behavior and human interaction, assessing fault lines in tools, contact time for chemical exposures for human and animals, working a maintenance schedule for equipment, and tips on handling more diverse tools safely
We explore the deeper aspects of structure via genetics and how the foot growth reflects what structural deviation from normal is telling you about the inside of the claw structure
We explore how the flow of energy works in the foot and leg structure.
Examination of conformation abnormalities in cattle can accelerate problems in animal welfare in certain conditions.
We explore the White Line Atlas Method in its full experience. If, the animal is the evidence then how much do your really need to trim away? Here students understand how stability of a foot is generated.
Here we explore no block technique, use of all types of blocks and how they can advance your healing rates of animals afflicted with lesions. You also examine the use of rubber blocks to help stabilize older cattle with base wide stances to help generate more comfort and straighter tracking of the leg(s)
Instructor Course
Applicants will be vetted for speaking ability of knowledge of hoof care and demonstrate an ability to teach.
This is a four-day course that costs $2994.50, which includes HST and meals.
Day 1 is the theory and practice of WLA methodology relative to animal conformation studies and trimming cadaver feet.
Day 2 Is on-farm trimming live cattle, evaluation of cattle conformation, and gait analysis pre and post trimming
Day 3 is on farm trimming applicants are expected to start reflecting various aspects of the method and animal evaluations
Day 4 Final morning of being taught. Afternoon the applicant will be presented with a variety of characters to teach and be evaluated on their skill set to create understanding and actual practice of the White Line Atlas Method
Each farm will be different, ranging from Sand bedded free stall barns to Slatted Floor Barns and general free stalls or a tie-stall barn.
Certificate of Achievement is presented upon competent completion.
Course Schedule (all prices include tax)
Basic Course Dates and Price $998.92
You can ssk to be put on a cancellation list
(pending a minimum of 3 people per class
2024
Feb 29 March 1 (sold out)
Apr 18-19 (2 spots open)
June 27-28 (4 spots open)
Aug 22-23 (4 spots open)
Sept 25-26(4 spots open)
Oct 25-26 (4 spots open)
Advanced Course Dates and Price $1808.00
You can ask to be put on a cancellation list
(pending minimum of 2 people per class date)
Advanced Course Days are Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridays 2023
If you wish to organize a group and have a class, you can contact me for available dates.
The on-farm advanced course is held at my shop and a free-stall barn near Stratford, Ontario. It has ample space and a great animal handling facility to set my chute up to trim live cattle.
2024
Jan 24 25 26 (Sold Out)
Mar 20 21 22 (sold out)
May 22 23 24 (1 spot open)
July 24 25 26 (3 spots open)
Nov 27 28 29 (3 spots open)
Instructors Course Dates and Price $2994.58
(4 Days)
2024
The courses are available by appointment only, maximum of two people per class contact me for availability.
by request for dates
How You Can Register For A Course
Thank you for considering my course. You will find a downloadable registration form below.
You can phone a reservation for a date.
You are required to have your registration in with the total course fee before the 10th of the month you selected. You will receive an email confirming your registration plus a notice of what to bring, directions, etc.
You can pay by cheque, money order, Moneygram via the post office, or Etransfer made out to Vic's Custom Clips, Inc
Course Fees including taxes:
Cancellation: If you are unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, your money will be held in trust until the next available class date you could attend. If you are unable to attend a future class, your money will be refunded in full.