Claw disorders including laminitis, white line disease, and sole ulcers are the leading cause of dairy cow lameness and require systematic prevention.
Claw disorders cause chronic pain that affects every aspect of dairy cow welfare — lying time, feeding, social interaction, and reproduction. Prevention through routine trimming, footbathing, and appropriate flooring is far more effective and humane than treatment of established disease. The economic case for prevention aligns with the welfare case, yet many farms remain reactive rather than proactive.