Approach HoofGuard Roadmap Science About Learn Dairy Cattle Lameness HoofGuard: How It Works Hoof Health Monitoring HoofGuard vs. Traditional Full FAQ Contact
Smart hoof health · Milk yield · Carbon reduction

Healthy hooves,
healthier herds.

HoofGuard is a wearable, preventive hoof solution for dairy cattle. It improves grip, reduces injury, and helps lift milk yield by 5–15% - with ROI in as little as 2–5 months.

5–15% milk yield 8–12 month wear life 9–15% lower CO₂ per litre Patent-protected design
The cost of lameness

One in four dairy cows is lame. The losses compound silently.

Concrete and slatted floors don't suit bovine foot anatomy. Combined with manure, moisture and slips, they drive trauma, digital dermatitis and chronic pain - animals stop visiting the feeder, conception windows are missed, and yield collapses long before culling.

Sources: TÜİK 2025, Eurostat 2024, FAOSTAT 2023, industry literature.

20–25% Of dairy cows globally are lame - up to 40% in some herds. SOURCE · INDUSTRY LITERATURE
€200–500 Annual loss per cow: lost milk, vet costs, drugs, early culling. SOURCE · INDUSTRY LITERATURE
17.7M Cattle in Türkiye. 72M in the EU. 1.1B globally. SOURCE · TÜİK · EUROSTAT · FAOSTAT
€70/yr Saved per cow as routine hoof trimming drops from twice to once a year. SOURCE · DIERVITAAL FIELD DATA
Our approach

Prevention, not reaction.

Hoof blocks treat injury after the fact. Rubber mats only cover lying areas. HoofGuard is the first continuously worn, preventive solution - applied easily, lasting 8–12 months, and protecting the animal across feeding, walking and milking zones.

01. Animal welfare

Less slipping, less pain, less stress.

Reduces slip- and impact-related injuries, supports hoof recovery, and lowers pain and stress - usable both reactively and proactively.

02. Farm economics

Yield up, treatment costs down.

+5–15% milk yield, fewer veterinary visits, one less month per year of milk discarded due to medication. ROI typically returns in 2–5 months.

03. Climate impact

Lower CO₂ per litre of milk.

Higher productivity per animal cuts CO₂ emissions per litre of milk by 9–15%, supporting farm-level ESG and climate reporting commitments.

HoofGuard · Wearable hoof solution

The first preventive hoof shoe for dairy cattle.

A porous, drainage-channelled hoof shoe optimised for the dual-claw anatomy of cattle. Applied in under five minutes with 3M industrial adhesive - and worn continuously for 8–12 months.

  • Up to 40% better floor grip on concrete and slatted surfaces.
  • Drainage geometry keeps the claw dry - reducing digital dermatitis risk.
  • Works as both a reactive aid and a proactive preventive layer.
  • One cow uses 4 shoes; lifespan 8–12 months. ROI in 2–5 months.
HoofGuard · Schematic HoofGuard schematic
HoofSense · Phase 2 roadmap

A sensor module hidden inside the shoe.

Our next product layer embeds sensing directly into HoofGuard - turning every cow into a continuous data point on welfare, fertility and performance.

  • Estrus detection, live weight, step count, activity and lameness signals.
  • Mobile app for real-time animal health and welfare monitoring.
  • Herd- and farm-level analytics with decision-support tooling.
HoofSense · Schematic HoofSense herd dashboard
Science & partners

Engineered with universities. Validated on real farms.

Built in collaboration with leading institutions and field partners - combining materials engineering, veterinary science and on-farm validation.

Partners
Request research summary
01

Patent-protected design

Porous structure and drainage geometry optimised for dual-claw bovine anatomy. Patent-protected by our CTO.

02

Material engineering

Material refinement with leading industry partners and adhesive systems with 3M - proven, animal-safe technologies adapted for dairy use.

03

Veterinary validation

Protocols co-developed with Ankara University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and our in-house veterinary lead.

04

Field deployments

Field deployments with breeders' unions across multiple regions in Türkiye.

05

Welfare & performance metrics

Outcomes tracked across mobility scores, milk yield, treatment frequency and CO₂ per litre of milk.

About DierVitaal

DierVitaal Teknoloji ve Ar-Ge Ltd. Şti.

DierVitaal is a Dutch technology company headquartered at The HUB in Almere, Netherlands. Our R&D operations are conducted through our subsidiary at ÇAKÜ Teknokent in Çankırı, Türkiye. We design preventive hoof-health products for medium and large dairy operations - starting in Central Anatolia and expanding across Türkiye and the EU.

Our market entry is built around a strategic distribution partner and a growing network of veterinarians, breeders' unions and distributors.

Customers

Modern dairy operations with 50+ animals - and the veterinarians who serve them.

Channel

Strategic distribution via a dedicated distribution partner, breeders' unions and field veterinarians.

Active regions

Multiple regions across Türkiye - expanding from Central Anatolia outward.

Stage

Active field validation in progress. EU market entry planned from Year 3 onward.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about HoofGuard

Answers to the questions we hear most from farm managers, veterinarians and distribution partners.

What is HoofGuard and how does it work?

HoofGuard is the first preventive hoof shoe for dairy cattle, developed by DierVitaal. It is a porous, drainage-channelled shoe attached to each claw using 3M industrial adhesive in under five minutes. The design improves floor grip by up to 40% on concrete and slatted surfaces, and its drainage channels keep the claw dry, reducing digital dermatitis risk. Each cow wears four shoes continuously for 8–12 months.

How does HoofGuard prevent lameness in dairy cows?

Lameness in dairy cattle is largely caused by slipping, impact injuries, and prolonged exposure to wet, contaminated flooring. HoofGuard addresses these causes at the source: the textured sole improves traction across feeding, walking and milking zones; the drainage channels reduce moisture and manure contact; and the cushioning layer absorbs impact. Unlike hoof blocks—which treat an injured claw after lameness has already occurred—HoofGuard is worn continuously as a preventive layer.

What is the ROI of HoofGuard for a dairy farm?

Farms typically recover their investment in 2–5 months. The return comes from multiple sources: a 5–15% increase in milk yield; fewer veterinary visits and antibiotic treatments; one less month per year of discarded milk due to medication; and an estimated €70 per cow per year saved as routine hoof trimming drops from twice to once annually.

How long does HoofGuard last, and how is it applied?

HoofGuard has a wear life of 8–12 months per set. Application takes under five minutes per cow using 3M industrial adhesive and can be carried out by farm staff without specialist equipment. Each cow requires four shoes.

Which farms is HoofGuard suitable for?

HoofGuard is designed for medium and large dairy operations with 50 or more animals. It is particularly effective in herds housed on concrete or slatted floors—the most common flooring type in intensive dairy systems and the leading contributor to slip and impact injuries.

What is the difference between HoofGuard and traditional hoof treatment?

Traditional hoof treatment—hoof blocks, hoof baths, corrective trimming—is reactive: applied after lameness has already developed. HoofGuard is preventive: applied to healthy animals before lameness occurs, eliminating root causes (slipping, moisture, impact) rather than managing symptoms. It can also be used alongside reactive treatment during recovery.

What is HoofSense?

HoofSense is DierVitaal's Phase 2 product in development. It embeds a sensor module inside the HoofGuard shoe, turning each cow into a continuous health data point. Planned capabilities include estrus detection, live weight estimation, step count, activity monitoring and lameness early-warning signals, accessible via a mobile app with herd-level analytics.

Does HoofGuard reduce carbon emissions?

Yes. By improving milk yield per animal, fewer total cattle are needed to produce the same volume of milk. This efficiency gain reduces CO₂ emissions per litre of milk by 9–15%, supporting farm-level ESG and climate reporting commitments.

Get in touch

Talk to the team.

Veterinarians, farm managers and partners - reach out to discuss technical briefs, partnerships or distribution.

Email
info@diervitaal.com
Headquarters
🇳🇱 Netherlands
The HUB, Almere
R&D
🇹🇷 Türkiye
ÇAKÜ Teknokent, Çankırı