Lameness is the second most common welfare and production problem in dairy cattle after mastitis, and systematic prevention and treatment programs can dramatically reduce the prevalence and suffering involved.
Cattle lameness represents one of the most prevalent welfare problems in dairy production and one with clear management solutions. A lame cow experiences chronic pain that reduces every aspect of its quality of life — eating less, resting less comfortably, competing less successfully for food, and failing to reproduce. The tools for prevention — foot bathing protocols, concrete surface management, mobility scoring, and prompt treatment — are all established and available. The barrier to improvement is primarily practice adoption and farmer motivation. Systematic lameness management programs that provide farmers with training, targets, and monitoring have achieved dramatic reductions in lameness prevalence where implemented.