Lameness is one of the most prevalent and welfare-significant conditions in dairy cattle, causing chronic pain and reduced productivity. Prevention requires both environmental and management interventions.
Lameness causes sustained pain that undermines every aspect of a dairy cow welfare. Lame cows spend more time lying down to relieve foot pain, eat less, produce less milk, and have impaired reproductive performance. The welfare and economic costs of lameness are both substantial, yet prevalence remains high across the industry. Preventive foot trimming, improved flooring, reduced time standing on concrete, and early treatment programmes can dramatically reduce lameness burden when implemented systematically.