Lameness affects 15-30% of dairy cows in many commercial herds and is one of the most significant welfare problems in dairy production. Early detection and treatment prevent chronic suffering and improve production outcomes.
Lameness causes chronic pain that dairy cows experience while performing all their daily activities including walking, feeding, and milking. Cows prioritize lying rest to reduce weight-bearing on painful feet, which conflicts with access to feeding stations in competitive housing. The resulting underfeeding compounds welfare harm and production loss. Locomotion scoring — regular assessment of gait abnormalities in the herd — enables early intervention before lameness becomes severe. Farms with regular locomotion scoring and prompt treatment achieve substantially lower lameness prevalence than farms without systematic monitoring. The economic case for lameness prevention aligns with the welfare case, creating strong incentives for producers.