Lameness from hoof lesions is one of the top reasons for culling dairy cows and is a major welfare concern, costing producers hundreds of dollars per affected cow.
To prevent hoof lesions effectively, it’s not enough to know they exist — it’s essential to understand which types are most common in your herd. That insight can drive targeted, preventative action.
Most dairies already maintain detailed health records for each animal, both to comply with treatment withdrawal protocols and to inform individual and herd-level decisions. When it comes to hoof disease management, the best time to capture meaningful data is during routine trimming or any evaluation related to lameness. These moments offer a clear window into claw condition, lesion type and disease progression.
But for those records to truly support management decisions, they need more than vague labels like “heel warts” or “abscesses.” Precision matters. This lesion map offers a straightforward way to identify and categorize hoof disease based on the location — turning observations into actionable insights.
By adding this tool to your hoof care strategy, you can identify issues early, classify them accurately and guide prevention strategies that strengthen the impact of effective management, targeted nutrition and a skilled hoof trimmer working in sync. Together, these hoof care pillars will keep your cows walking strong.
