Lameness affects 20-25% of dairy cows and is one of the most painful and economically costly conditions in dairy farming — yet it is largely preventable through hoof care, flooring, and nutrition management.
Dairy cow lameness is a welfare scandal hiding in plain sight. A 20-25% prevalence rate means that on a farm of 100 cows, 20-25 are experiencing chronic pain from a condition that significantly impairs their movement, social behavior, and ability to compete for feed. Yet this prevalence is normalized in the industry despite being largely preventable. The farms that demonstrate 5% or below prevalence show that lameness is not inevitable — it reflects flooring quality, hoof trimming frequency, nutrition management, and overall cow comfort investment. Lameness reduction should be the most urgently pursued welfare improvement in dairy globally.