Lameness affects around 20-30% of dairy cows at any given time and causes chronic pain that significantly reduces welfare, productivity and longevity in dairy herds.
Lame dairy cows experience chronic pain that affects every aspect of their welfare. They shift weight to avoid pressure on painful feet, spend less time at the feed face and lie more, which itself worsens hoof condition. Lameness is frequently not detected until severe; farmers routinely underestimate prevalence in their herds. Early intervention through regular locomotion scoring dramatically improves outcomes.