New £1m project to investigate dairy cow lameness
One in three dairy cows are affected by lameness every day in the UK, costing the industry an estimated £250 milion annually.
The project will take three years to complete and is due to finish by November 2021.
Professor Georgios Banos of SRUC commented: “In addition to pain and discomfort to the animal, lameness is associated with decreased milk production and inflated farm costs.
“Among cows raised in the same environment, some become lame while others do not. Understanding the reasons behind this will help us develop targeted preventive practices contributing to enhanced animal welfare and farm profitability.”