Lameness

Why early lameness detection matters for reproductive performance

arnold.harbers@nedap.com — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Mildly lame cows, or those just starting to decline, often go unnoticed. This hidden group is where the real losses begin to accumulate, especially when it comes to reproduction.

Hoof health and heat: A dangerous combination

jenn@agproud.com — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Hoof health is crucial to a dairy cow’s overall well-being – and in turn milk production and the farm’s bottom line. Different seasons put greater pressure on hoof health in a dairy herd than others and call for a pivot in management. Summer heat is one of those times.

Turning lameness data into measurable ROI

terry.canning@gea.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For decades, hoof health programs relied on routine schedules and human observation. Cows were trimmed at set points in lactation or flagged by employees who noticed visible signs of lameness.

Obtain buy-in for proper hoof health management on farms

kburgi@savecows.com — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Here are six key hoof health management factors to consider and implement, which will have a significant impact on animal well-being.

Measure It to Manage It: How two Arizona dairies slashed their lameness rates

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Lameness continues to be one of the most persistent challenges in modern dairy herds. Herd manager Skylar Gericke, overseeing both Triple G Dairy and LegenDairy – owned by the Gingg family in Buckeye, Arizona – has firsthand experience.

Teamwork at the trimming chute

jwalker@kinderground.org — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Following the most recent Kinder Ground’s Hoof Care Academy (KHCA) in Minnesota, the host dairy farm’s professional hoof trimmer and veterinarian spoke of the importance of collaboration to manage hoof health on a dairy. Here are the big takeaways.

A simplistic approach to hoof trimming

kburgi@savecows.com — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Great hoof health advances the well-being of dairy cows while improving overall farm sustainability. Managing hoof health on farms requires proper and timely execution of preventive hoof trimming.

Seeing the future of lameness management

mnelson@specialtysalesllc.com — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

I see a future where lameness rates are lower than ever before, and cows have a longer, more productive and profitable lifespan. I believe there is a day in the not-too-distant future when cows move to and from the parlor with little to no lameness.

Artificial intelligence detection brings lameness into focus

terry.canning@gea.com — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Many farms underestimate the challenge of identifying lameness, thinking only 5% to 10% of their herd is lame, when in reality, it may be closer to 20% to 25%. That’s where artificial intelligence (AI) detection comes in – spotting signs the human eye might overlook.

Execute an insight-driven hoof health program

creese@bovisync.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Maintaining optimal hoof health in dairy herds is paramount for ensuring peak productivity and minimizing lameness, a prevalent issue that can severely affect cow welfare and farm economics.

Hoof Trimmers Association to host 20th sesquiannual conference

jenn@agproud.com — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

There are few things more invigorating than gathering with like-minded individuals and hearing from industry experts to bring home new concepts and ideas to your business. That is what the Hoof Trimmers Association (HTA) will accomplish at their 20th Hoof Health Conference Aug. 21-23 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Partnering with farm consultants to enhance hoof health management

lerickson@zinpro.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Lameness negatively impacts milk production, fertility and longevity, making proactive hoof care essential for any dairy operation. By partnering with farm owners, on-farm consultants can play a crucial role in enhancing key skill sets and implementing a comprehensive hoof health management plan.

Beyond hooves: The human element in tackling lameness

laura.solano@wisc.edu — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Lameness is an issue that impacts every part of the supply chain – not just the welfare and health of cows but also the farmers and their teams working to maintain herd productivity, as well as the dairy processors and retailers seeking to build trust in their brand.

Address lameness while the trimmer is away

lerickson@zinpro.com — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It is important to provide excellent hoof care to cows because lame cows can go from bad to worse quickly. If a lame cow has to wait to be treated, she can experience longer recovery time, and more necrotic tissue and permanent damage to her pedal bone.

Management of lame cows to improve animal welfare

jks@iastate.edu — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The welfare of a lame cow is affected in at least three ways: 1) it interferes with natural behaviors such as walking, lying down and interacting with herdmates; 2) it impairs normal function by reducing milk production and reproductive efficiency; and 3) the pain impacts the cow’s affective states of physical and mental well-being. What can we do to manage lameness more effectively and improve the welfare of cows that develop lameness?

Lameness prevention starts with you

omendivil@zinpro.com — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

I work with farms across the country troubleshooting for potential contributors to lameness prevalence in their herd. Cattle lameness is a challenge that every farm will one day experience. It is better to prevent it through procedures such as scheduled maintenance, hoof trimming and overall herd management practices.

Efficient handling space to reduce lameness in robotic milking facilities

antti.puuri@4dbarn.com — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In robotic milking systems, where cows need to move frequently to and from milking robots, lameness can severely disrupt operations. Here are ways to prevent and address lameness in automated milking facilities.

On-farm training to treat lame cows: Identifying lameness on the modern dairy farm

lerickson@zinpro.com — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

All lactating cows should be locomotion scored on a weekly basis. This is a great start in identifying cows that could benefit from a trip through the trimming chute. In addition to locomotion scoring, what other techniques can we implement on a daily basis that could help us catch the cows with an early onset of lameness?

Estimating return on investment of 3D cameras in dairies

alvaro@dellait.com — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The integration of 3D imaging technology systems into dairy management practices offers a blueprint for the future where technology-driven solutions enable farms to go through the complexities of modern dairy production more effectively.

Identifying lameness can be part of everyone’s job description

roger.olson@zinpro.com — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 16:22:12 -0500

We can all agree that a lame cow takes advantage of valuable time and money. When a cow becomes lame, additional internal inflammation occurs – diverting energy away from reproductive success and milk output.

Navigating the runways of lameness: An integrated approach to cow health through advanced data analysis

nial.oboyle@cattleeye.com — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Imagine being at the helm of a bustling airport, managing the incessant comings and goings of countless flights each day.

Breaking the 'become lame and stay lame' mentality

kburgi@savecows.com — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 09:32:31 -0400

The latest data shows between 2% and 54% of dairy cows worldwide can be lame in a given year.

A complete nutrition program to prevent hoof problems

jweyers@zinpro.com — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Digital dermatitis, an infectious hoof disease, and non-infectious hoof challenges, like white-line disease, thin soles and sole ulcers, are common occurrences across dairies that often go undetected until it is too late.

Consider heifer housing to reduce the risk of corkscrew claws

eruzic@zinpro.com — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In heifer and milking barns, more dairy cows are developing the hoof abnormality known as corkscrew claws, which increases lameness, shortens the productive life span of cows and decreases operational profitability.

Lameness: Be proactive before heat stress

gwheeler@diamondv.com — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:59:12 -0400

With heat stress comes lameness and negative impacts on hoof health. In fact, heat stress is one of the biggest factors contributing to dairy cow lameness.

Summer tips to prevent winter hoof health issues

roger.olson@zinpro.com — Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

During the summer, cows face additional challenges due to heat stress and can become stuck in a negative cycle of lameness and ultimately decreased productivity.

Lameness and economics discussion group sparks on-farm change

bjh246@cornell.edu — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Lameness is a costly issue for dairy farms, with an average prevalence of 25% of dairy cows on U.S. dairies experiencing lameness. Much of these costs are associated with milk loss and can add up to $200 to $500 per case.

Designing concrete floors for dairy facilities to reduce lameness incidences

david.kammel@4dbarn.com — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 16:45:43 -0400

Lameness can affect anywhere between 8% to 55% of dairy cows worldwide. The contributing causes of lameness are poor cow comfort, long standing time, heat stress, poor stockmanship and poor flooring.

Three D's to tackling lameness on the dairy

lerickson@zinpro.com — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 09:36:47 -0400

There are no shortcuts for reducing the lameness rates on dairy farms. It takes a lot of hard work and cooperation from the dairy farm team, but it is well worth the effort to reach the goal of 1%-2% lameness on the dairy.

Do not tolerate lame cows on the dairy

jenn@agproud.com — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 18:10:09 -0400

At any given time, 25% of dairy cows in the U.S. are lame, and more than that experience lameness at some point throughout their lactation, according to Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM.