Degeneration of the digital cushion — the fat pad beneath the claw — is a key driver of lameness in high-producing dairy cows and represents a major welfare challenge.
Digital cushion degeneration creates a biomechanical vulnerability that converts normal walking pressure into corium trauma, leading to sole ulcers and white line disease. Affected cows experience chronic pain that reduces time standing at the feed face, depresses milk yield and impairs welfare across multiple domains. The problem is largely preventable through transition nutrition management, appropriate lying surface design and lameness monitoring protocols.