Understanding, reducing and treating lameness in cows

Lameness experts, Ger Cusack and Ned Dunphy, join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of the Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the level of lameness that exists in grazing dairy cows and the proactive steps that farmers can take to reduce its incidence. Based on a recent on-farm study, up to 20% of cows within Irish dairy herds have some level of lameness and Ger explains that cows suffering from lameness are coping with pain which is a significant welfare concern. Ger recommends that cows with lameness are treated with an anti-inflammatory to combat pain, reduce swelling and promote healing. Ned explains that simple practices on farms such as allowing cows to walk at their own pace when droving from the paddock to the parlour for milkings, as well as a regular footbathing programme, looking after the surfaces of roadways and learning the skills to identify a lame cow and lift and treat cows, will go a long way towards minimising the level of lameness. Ned estimates that each incidence of lameness costs €350 owing to loss in production, reduced fertility performance, the cost of treatment and culling. Furthermore when considering farm sustainability, Ger explains that cows are culled because of lameness, they fail to reach maturity and this compromises cow lifetime productivity. For more information: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2022/Reducing-Lameness-in-Irish-Dairy-Herds.pdf For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com