The Economics of Lameness
Lameness is one of the most important diseases present in dairy farming, not only for its effect on economic losses, but also on animal welfare. A critical factor in estimating costs is the duration of episodes. Cows that are diagnosed and treated correctly within 72 hours from the beginning of the process show limited milk-production losses, rapidly recover without significant long-term effects on their production curve or on other areas such as reproduction or longevity, and show rapid recovery of the affected claw.
The cost of a lameness case on a dairy farm depends on the underlying cause but is currently considered to be at least £180 per episode.1,2
When costs are calculated, the impact is associated with reduced milk yield, reduced fertility and production losses:
Conversely, a cow that is not lame for the duration of her 305-day lactation, will produce 342kg more milk3 compared to her lame counterpart and at the current milk price (February 2020) that equates to approximately £120 more income per cow.
