Lameness is the most significant welfare problem in dairy cows, affecting 20-30% of the national dairy herd at any time and causing chronic pain that reduces both welfare and productivity.
Lameness in dairy cattle causes significant chronic pain and impairs all aspects of welfare. Lame cows take shorter, more painful steps, spend more time lying down on hard cubicle floors, and suffer reduced feed intake. The main causes include digital dermatitis, sole ulcers, and white line disease, all associated with standing on hard concrete floors, inadequate hoof care, and nutritional factors. Prevention requires regular mobility scoring, prompt treatment of early-stage cases, regular professional foot trimming, good cubicle design and flooring, and appropriate nutrition. The Healthy Feet Program and AHDB Dairy lameness resources provide farmer tools for herd management. Detection through automated mobility scoring systems is improving.