Getting on top of lameness starts with spotting it early and acting fast. Record cases to understand what’s happening, benchmark against others, and bring in external eyes to support your team and keep cows on track.
Inside Dairy
3 min read
Lameness takes a toll on cows and farm performance. A lame cow produces less milk, loses condition and takes longer to cycle. The good news? Catching it early and treating it promptly gives her the best shot at a quick, full recovery — and helps keep your herd’s productivity on track.
Despite this, lameness remains one of the hardest issues to get on top of.
More than 80% of lameness in New Zealand dairy cows is caused by claw horn lesions (white line and sole disease). These injuries are hard to spot early and slow to heal. The longer a cow stays lame, the greater the inflammation in the hoof, which can lead to permanent damage. This increases her risk of further lameness down the track. A previous case is one of the biggest risk factors.
Around calving, changes in the hoof make cows more vulnerable to lameness. The fat pad thins and the ligaments relax, leaving the corium (the soft tissue inside the hoof) more exposed to damage. This is known as the calving effect.
When combined with other cow, management and environmental risk factors, it can significantly raise the risk of lameness. If left untreated, inflammation in the corium can lead to permanent changes in hoof structure, increasing the chance of ongoing or future issues.
Reducing lameness starts with understanding how often it’s happening, and what’s causing it. Benchmarking your lameness levels against similar farms can help show whether there’s more going on than you realise.
Recording cases helps build that picture, so you can spot patterns and identify risk factors like cow condition, calving timing or track quality. With that insight, it’s easier to move from reacting to problems to preventing them. That saves time and money, and most importantly, spares your cows unnecessary pain and disruption. It also helps you have better conversations with your vet or hoof trimmer when you need a second opinion or extra support.
Simple recording tools, even just a notebook or spreadsheet, can make a big difference. Some use apps or a shed whiteboard to keep track. Staff training is just as important. Making sure everyone knows how to spot early signs of lameness and respond quickly helps keep the whole herd in better shape, and lifts animal care across the board.
DairyNZ’s lameness scoring system rates cows from 0 (no lameness) to 3 (very lame), with recommended actions for each score. For best results, score cows on a flat surface where they can walk freely and without any pressure.
Regular scoring helps catch lameness early, allowing timely treatment. Make it part of your on-farm routine — just like stripping quarters to check for subclinical mastitis. Your local vets can also include scoring during routine herd health visits to help keep lameness in check.
Want to learn more?
Head to dairynz.co.nz/lameness for guides and resources.
Spotting lame cows is just the first step – acting quickly is what makes the difference. Ideally, cows should be examined and treated within 48 hours of being identified, or within 24 hours if they’re severely lame. If the numbers feel overwhelming, bring in support. Your vet or hoof trimmer can help get things back on track, so you can stay focused on the rest of the herd.
Effective treatment starts with getting the hoof off the ground. Trimming helps identify the cause and relieve pressure. Use a wooden or rubber block, or a Cowslip, to take weight off the affected claw and help it heal, unless it’s not suitable in the situation.
Lameness is painful, and managing that pain is an important part of treatment. Anti-inflammatory pain relief, like NSAIDs, has been shown to support healing and recovery.
A recent New Zealand study found that using anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) during hoof trimming significantly improved reproductive outcomes. International research also showed that cows given NSAIDs at treatment were 45% less likely to be culled.
Treatment is just the start – recovery needs managing too. A cow can lose up to 61kg of liveweight during a bout of lameness, and thinner cows are more likely to go lame again.
That’s why it pays to reduce walking distances for lame animals and offer them high-quality feed while they recover. Giving them the best chance to bounce back helps prevent a cycle of repeated lameness.
Mitch Cooper, DairyNZ senior technical and policy advisor
This article was originally published in Inside Dairy August-October 2025.
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