Farm Animals

Cattle Lameness Mobility Scoring Welfare

Mobility scoring provides standardised assessment of dairy cow lameness, enabling farm-level monitoring and targeted treatment that reduces the enormous welfare burden of chronic lameness.

Key Facts

Lameness affects an estimated 20-30% of dairy cows at any one time in intensive systems
AHDB Mobility Score 0-3 scale is widely used in UK dairy welfare assessment
Regular scoring every 4-8 weeks detects early lameness before severe deterioration
Prompt treatment within 24 hours of lameness detection significantly improves outcome
Mobility scoring integrated into herd management reduces overall lameness prevalence over time

Welfare Considerations

Lameness is the most prevalent welfare problem in dairy farming. Systematic mobility scoring makes lameness visible, enables targeted treatment, and drives management improvement.

What You Can Do

Implement regular mobility scoring as part of routine herd management
Train all farm staff in consistent mobility scoring methodology
Establish treatment protocols ensuring lame cows receive analgesia and foot care within 24 hours
Use mobility data to identify and address systemic lameness risk factors on your farm