Lameness is one of the most common and welfare-significant conditions in dairy and beef cattle, causing chronic pain affecting millions of animals globally and requiring systematic farm management to prevent.
Cattle lameness causes chronic pain of variable severity over days to months. Pain responses include altered gait, reduced weight-bearing, and changes in lying behaviour. Research using the Cattle Lameness Scale shows that even moderately lame cows show significant welfare impairment. The scale of the problem - millions of cows at any one time - makes it one of the largest welfare challenges in UK farming. Prevention through foot bathing, rubber flooring, prompt treatment, and regular foot trimming delivers both welfare and productivity benefits, making the business case for improvement as strong as the welfare case.