Reducing lameness in Irish dairy herds

A guide for farmers

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Lameness is a painful disease that impacts a cow’s ability to move normally and is a major problem within the dairy sector worldwide. A recent Teagasc study showed that at any given time, one in ten Irish dairy cows is lame. The worst performing 20% of dairy farms in the study had a lameness prevalence of 15–32% percent. This demonstrates that lameness is a significant problem on many dairy farms in Ireland. 

If you have a lameness problem on your farm, it might sometimes feel like there is very little you can do to improve the situation. The good news is that by adopting certain simple measures, you can reduce the prevalence and severity of lameness on your farm.