Lameness affects an estimated 20-40% of dairy cows globally and represents one of the most significant and widespread welfare problems in animal agriculture. It causes chronic pain, reduces milk yield, and shortens productive life.
Lameness is a chronic pain condition — cows cannot articulate their suffering through vocalisation, but behavioural and physiological indicators confirm significant ongoing negative experience. The high prevalence across all systems (housed and grazing, organic and conventional) indicates that lameness is not simply a consequence of poor farming but of the productive demands placed on modern high-yielding dairy breeds. Selective breeding for milk production has prioritised production traits over leg and hoof conformation. Welfare science is now demonstrating the business case for lameness control — treatment costs, lost production, and culling losses from lameness exceed the investment in prevention by substantial margins — creating alignment between welfare and economics that can drive industry change.