Lameness is the most prevalent cause of chronic pain in dairy cattle, affecting 25-55% of cows in commercial herds and representing a major welfare and economic burden.
Dairy cow lameness represents one of the highest-prevalence welfare problems in any farmed species. The combination of selective breeding for high milk production, concrete flooring, and insufficient lying time creates conditions where lameness is almost inevitable in a significant proportion of cows. Lame cows are not just painful — they are in a welfare feedback loop: pain from standing causes reduced lying time, which increases standing on painful hooves, which worsens lesions. Research demonstrates that lame cows show cognitive bias test results consistent with chronic negative affective states. Prevention requires attention to multiple factors simultaneously: rubber flooring or mats in high-traffic areas, adequate lying time in comfortable cubicles, appropriate body condition management, and regular preventive hoof trimming. Locomotion scoring systems that detect lameness before it becomes severe allow early intervention. Economic modeling consistently shows that preventing lameness is more profitable than treating it, yet adoption of prevention programs remains incomplete.