Animal Health & Welfare

Even in the early stages, lameness may cause a change in gait and a redistribution of weight away from the affected foot, suggesting discomfort and pain. Consequently, lameness has a negative impact on the welfare of those animals which are affected, and such animals often show a marked change in behaviour. They are less likely to show oestrus thereby reducing fertility and are less likely to get up and down as frequently which can affect feed intake, body condition, and milk yield. At worst, animals which cannot be treated must be culled from the herd, increasing culling rates, disposal costs and subsequent replacement costs.

To manage lameness in dairy cattle effectively the true extent of the problem must be assessed. This can only be done by taking time to watch the cows walking on a non-slip surface and assessing whether or not each individual animal is lame. Any animal which is judged to be lame (by what ever scoring system is chosen) should have its feet examined to determine the cause. Some lameness can be resolved by good trimming but more severe cases may require veterinary treatment. Some farms achieve this by assessing cows immediately before a routine foot-trimming session, others will investigate the causes of lameness themselves or with their veterinarian. Attention to detail such as this allows individuals to be treated promptly (which in itself will reduce lameness and poor welfare) and, if adequate records of lameness and its causes are kept, allows an accurate review of the herd lameness management policy. Without regular monitoring and record keeping, effective control of lameness is not possible and the impact of the major risk factors for lameness present on any farm cannot be assessed.

For information on how to manage infections that cause lameness and advice on precautions, solutions and treatments, explore the tabs in the menu below.

For comprehensive information on lameness research, visit the SAC and University of Liverpool lameness site using the link to the right.