How lameness, the most prevalent welfare challenge in dairy farming, can be prevented through hoof care, flooring, and management reform.
Lameness in dairy cattle is one of the highest-prevalence welfare problems in modern animal agriculture. The chronic pain of a lame cow affects every aspect of her daily life including feeding, drinking, social interaction, and rest. Prevalence rates of 20 to 25 percent mean that on a typical dairy farm, one in four cows is experiencing significant pain at any given time. The economic case for lameness control is strong, yet many farms still fail to implement basic preventive measures. Regulatory standards requiring locomotion scoring, treatment protocols, and flooring requirements would have immediate welfare benefits across millions of animals.