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Recognised leader in hoof care services and hoof care products, VeeHof Dairy Services Limited and the Dairy Hoofcare Institute NZ have been setting the standard of hoof care in New Zealand since it was established by Fred and Sandy Hoekstra more than 20 years ago.

Fred furthered his hoof trimming training, qualifying as an instructor, and started running hoof trimming training days and workshops nationwide to help farmers and industry professionals treat and prevent lame cows. As the training side of the business grew, he later launched the Dairy Hoofcare Institute (DHI), partnering with the Dairy Training Centre (DTC) in Oenkerk (Netherlands) along with the University of Utrecht (Netherlands) who, together, developed the 5-step trimming method which is now recognised worldwide.

Brought up in the Netherlands, Fred immigrated to New Zealand 32 years ago, dreaming of working his way up the dairying ladder to ultimately owning his own farm. But he soon realised that unlike his homeland, where hoof trimming was a regular part of dairy farming to maintain optimum cow health, no one knew how to deal with the growing number of lame cows in New Zealand. “I knew there was a better way, and I wanted to share that with farmers here,” says Fred.

Having returned to Holland and gained a Diploma in Hoof Care according to the five-step Dutch method from PTC+, a world-renowned practical training centre for agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry, Fred worked as New Zealand’s only professional hoof trimmer for more than a decade. He was in hot demand from as far south as Invercargill and throughout Canterbury. 

As VeeHof Dairy Services grew, Fred imported a hydraulic cattle crush from the Netherlands. Farmers saw how well it worked and wanted a manual version for treating their lame cows, which led to the business becoming the distributor for the world-renowned WOPA claw treatment cattle crush. In addition to having a team of qualified hoof trimmers on the road, VeeHof Dairy Services stocks a wide range of other hoof trimming accessories at its headquarters, just north of Ashburton.

Through the Dairy Hoofcare Institute, he now runs workshops in Lameness Management open to farmers, a vet-only Veterinary Hoof Care Management Workshop, as well as an Advanced Hoof Care Management Course for those looking at a career in hoof trimming or more comprehensive training.

Fred says lameness is amongst the top three health issues on dairy farms, costing the industry millions every year. They aim to make farmers more aware of the critical role of good hoof trimming in preventing and curing lameness in dairy cows. By increasing the skill and level of hoof care they ultimately hope to reduce lameness. “There is a lot more to hoof trimming than meets the eye. People see hoof trimming as easy, but it’s not as easy as people think. I see a lot of major mistakes being made in hoof care that contribute to lameness. It can be a little bit frustrating at times.” 

Aimed at dairy farm staff, the Lameness Management Workshop is designed to give attendees an overview of issues relating to lameness management and introduce them to the 5-step trimming process. It includes five online modules, totalling 90 minutes, which must be completed before a practical trimming day. “It’s an awareness course,” he says. You can’t learn to play the piano in one day, and it’s the same with hoof trimming.”

VeeHof Dairy Services Limited and the Dairy Hoofcare Institute have had a long-standing relationship with Ruralco, both as a merchant and a supplier, for more than 15 years. They are more than just a person at the end of the phone; they have an active relationship with them.

“I think it’s good to be part of the local community and good for us being an agricultural business,” says Sandy. “Ruralco is well-respected in the community. We like having that guaranteed payment through Ruralco, while farmers like consolidating everything into one account. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”