Lameness in Dairy Cow Herds: Disease Aetiology, Prevention and Management

As livestock production systems have changed to intensive commercial structures meet the increasing demand for animal-based products, there has been an increase in food diseases, subsequently resulting animal welfare issues. After mastitis and infertility, lameness is one of three major issues affecting dairy cattle globally, reduced productivity, economic losses, problems. Lameness associated with milk yield, lack weight gain, poor fertility, frequently, culling. Environmental (temperature, humidity) risk factors contribute disease severity, making this multifaceted difficult eradicate control. such, prevalence rates herds ranges from 17% 35% globally. Clinical often treated antibiotic therapy, which undesirable food-producing animals, as outlined One Health European Farm Fork sustainability goals. not a single cows but manifestation range issues, control greatest challenges farming. prevention, therefore, must be key focus farm management sustainable production. There urgent need establish farm-level aetiology disease, promote recognition lameness, implement effective measures lower incidence transmission within herds.