Lameness is the second most costly health condition in dairy cattle after mastitis, causing chronic pain in millions of animals whose welfare and productivity would both benefit from earlier detection and treatment.
Dairy cow lameness is one of the most significant welfare issues in the industry by both prevalence and impact on individual wellbeing. A lame cow experiences chronic musculoskeletal pain that affects her every movement throughout the day. The tragedy is that much lameness is preventable through flooring management, hoof trimming programs, and early treatment, and what cannot be prevented can be treated much more effectively when identified early. The economics are aligned with welfare: early treatment costs less, produces faster recovery, and avoids the production losses of protracted lameness. Systematic lameness monitoring and treatment programs represent one of the highest-impact welfare investments available to dairy operations.