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Featured Trimmer: Michael Wallen, Tulare, Calif.

Michael Wallen always knew California. Raised in Cucamonga until 13, his family moved north to the San Joaquin Valley after his mother suddenly passed away. His father was from a large Visalia family, so Michael found many role models while growing up. He “worked” the ranch with his grandfathers and uncles, carrying siphon pipes and trying to start them since he was five years old. Once living in the area, he spent entire summers irrigating cotton, corn, and alfalfa, and learned to drive a tractor. Michael’s Uncle Jim, his eldest uncle, always advised him to get a job in town. Although he loved his life, Uncle Jim said, it was a hard life.

But Michael persevered and took ag classes in high school and was an active member of FFA. He took Uncle Jim’s advice and worked at McDonalds, flipping burgers. But as soon as summer came around, he found himself back on the ranch every chance he had. His fate was sealed when he met Kathie in Junior College. Kathie was a dairy girl!

After college, Michael worked at a thrift and loan company as a manager trainee where he took loan applications, appraised cars and worked collections. Married a year later, Kathie’s father went to be with the Lord only ten days later. Her brother was only 19 and they hired a herdsman to run the dairy. Eventually, Michael was working fulltime at the dairy for the family.

Three years later, Michael literally “fell” into hoof trimming. He was climbing a haystack, fell and fractured his kneecap. The hoof trimmer, Bill Dixon, had more work than he could handle and was looking for someone to run a second truck. Michael gave trimming a shot and soon helped Bill with close to 60 customers.
At that time, herds were smaller, dairymen trimmed once or twice a year, and only those with long toes. Eventually, Michael saw the herds become larger (500+) and the trimmers started on a monthly schedule at the dairies, where the trimmers then picked the cows out of the dry corral. He remembers one dairy in particular that, for the time period, was at the cutting edge in hoof health. They trimmed all the dry cows each Friday morning, followed by all the lame cows to be trimmed. Numbers totaled about 15 dry cows and perhaps five lame cows. Soon, trimmers were working more and more herds on a monthly schedule. As the herd size grew, to average 1000 head, some were worked into weekly schedules. It was during this time period that Michael and producers found feet were being much better maintained. What were once seriously overgrown claws to now just showing slight growth needing only minor maintenance.

Six years later, Michael purchased his own truck and chute and started his own business. He saved, borrowed, and used credit cards. Like most people, he started with one customer and slowly expanded as word spread. He soon had 15 herds, some on weekly schedules, and others less often. As time went by, herds grew and he found he had to cut his stops to five or six a week. Michael trimmed twice a week at a 4000 cow dairy and his smallest herd at that time was around 1200 cows.

In hopes of expanding his business, Michael added a truck and an employee. But after several years, and several employees, he decided to cut out the stress and trim solo. Coincidently, he faced greater competition with in-house trimmers at the larger dairies.

Michael continued learning throughout his career. He first heard of the Hoof Trimmers Association just prior to the Texas conference. Unable to leave at such short notice, he attended the next one held in Modesto, California as well as the Duluth Conference in 2000. He met many trimmers and gained immense knowledge in such areas as anatomy and physiology, diseases, and treatment protocols. He especially enjoyed the trimming day at the livestock yard and the trade show. He found products not found in his local supply stores; he learned from other trimmers how various tools worked for them.

Michael noticed a change through the years regarding record keeping. When he first started trimming, record keeping was verbal; they simply told the dairyman what was wrong with each lame cow. But as herds grew, trimmers wrote the information for them. Still wanting something more, Michael eventually purchased software and began using a Palm Pilot computer. He was then able to pull records on every cow trimmed, the date she was trimmed, the specific problem, and the treatment, all with just a click of a button. He enjoyed the convenience of keeping records in his shirt pocket, downloading them on the computer, and then printing/faxing the info to the dairy that evening. Michael is continually improving his computerized record keeping – he recently purchased a small net book computer to replace his Palm. He feels the pocket computers don’t last like they used to, and the cost of the net book was within the same range.

Today, Michael has five stops a week, at the same farm each day of the week. He maintains around 7000 head on these farms, travels 25 miles to the furthest dairy and he sleeps at home each night. Michael sees more trimmers in the area now compared to 20 years ago, perhaps relocating due to the Chino area land and dairies sell out, and others who were past employees of trimmers.

Michael is thankful to Bill Dixon for giving him an opportunity to learn a new trade and feels they are both blessed. Bill has helped Michael many times over the years when demand was high, or when he just needed a day or two off.

Past Featured Members:

Chad and Harold Boyce, Georgia
Michael Wallen, Calif.
Martin Van Beek, NM.
Jeff Heeg, Wisc.
Phil Hemphill, BC, Canada