Lameness is the most significant welfare problem in dairy cows, causing chronic pain that is often inadequately treated.
Dairy cow lameness represents one of the most prevalent and preventable sources of chronic suffering in farm animals. A lame cow walking on painful, infected hooves experiences continuous discomfort that affects every aspect of her life. Yet on many farms, lameness is accepted as normal rather than addressed as a welfare failure. Regular locomotion scoring, prompt treatment, attention to flooring and cow comfort, and regular hoof trimming can dramatically reduce its prevalence.