Lameness is an issue that will be seen at some level on all dairy farms, with great variation in the level of severity of cases.
Within grazing herds commonly seen here in Ireland, issues with bruising and white line disease are most common.
Heading into the autumn is a high-risk period for lameness issues, as cows have spent the last number of months walking to and from paddocks.
The distance they have to walk can also increase at this time of year as more land is introduced onto the milking platform.
To completely eliminate cases will be almost impossible, but the number of cases and severity of these cases can be reduced.
Mobility scoring
Something that should be used on all dairy farms to identify cows with lameness issues is mobility or locomotion scoring.
It basically scores the cows on how they walk and their locomotion, which helps to identify cows that have issues.
Zero
If the cow walks with even weight-bearing and rhythm on all four feet, with a flat back and has long, fluid strides, this would be good mobility and the cow would be given a score of zero.
Image: AHDB
This means that there is no issue with the cow at the time of assessment and only routine (preventative) foot-trimming when/if required should be done.
It is important to note that a cow’s hind foot should land in the same place as her front foot; failure to do this may be an indication of a lameness issue.
One
If the cow steps unevenly (rhythm or weight-bearing) or strides shortened, this is imperfect mobility and given a score of one.
Image: AHDB
In this case it can often be difficult to identify the affected limb or limbs.
A cow with this score could benefit from routine (preventative) foot-trimming and further observation is also recommended.
Two
A score of two will be given to a cow if uneven weight-bearing on a limb that is immediately identifiable and/or obviously shortened strides (usually with an arch to the centre of the back).
Image: AHDB
This cow would be considered clinically lame and likely to benefit from treatment. The foot should be lifted to establish the cause of lameness before treatment – this should be attended to as soon as practically possible.
Three
A cow would be given a score of three for severely impaired mobility, she would be unable to walk as fast as a brisk human pace (cannot keep up with the healthy herd).
The lame leg should be easy to identify – she will likely be limping, may barely stand on lame leg(s) and have an arched back when standing and walking.
This cow is very lame and requires urgent attention, nursing and further professional advice and should be examined as soon as possible.
Image: AHDB
A cow with this lameness score should not be made to walk far and kept on a straw yard or at grass. in the most severe cases, culling may be the only possible solution.
Lameness
There are a number of practices that can be adopted to reduce the amount of cases seen on farms.
These include putting rubber mats in areas where cows are turning on concrete or looking at the surface on your farms roadways.
Roadways should be good surfaces that are comfortable for cows to walk on and don’t have sharp objects such as stones on them.
Some farms have put old astroturf surfaces on roadways which appears to be more comfortable for cows to walk on. This will also help with cows that are walking long distances to help with stopping worn claws.
Standing and turning on concrete can also be an issue, so you should look at putting rubber mats down in areas where cows are turning.
These areas could include the entrance and exit from the milking parlour.
When herding cows or bringing them in for milking, they should be allowed to walk in at their own pace; cows should not be hurried or rush.
Using equipment that opens the handle to the paddock, so cows can make their own way up to the paddock, can help to reduce lameness issues and reduce herding time.