Heel horn erosion is the most prevalent claw lesion in dairy cattle and a major predisposing factor for the severe and painful condition of sole ulcer, making its prevention central to herd lameness control programmes.
Heel horn erosion represents the first stage in a pathological cascade that can end in the severe chronic pain of sole ulcer — one of the most painful conditions in dairy cattle. Preventing heel erosion through foot bathing, appropriate passageway management, and regular hoof trimming interrupts this cascade before pain develops. Herd-level monitoring of heel erosion prevalence provides early warning of deteriorating hoof health before lame cows are visible. Lameness in dairy cattle is a major source of ongoing chronic pain affecting millions of animals in intensive systems globally. It is also largely preventable through systematic hoof health management that addresses predisposing factors rather than simply treating established lesions.