Moreton Farm

EDPET (Early Detection and Prompt Effective Treatment): Assessing the impact of improved lameness detection on lameness prevalence and lesion incidence.

Just under a third of dairy cows may be experiencing some degree of lameness in the UK. An average incident of lameness costs the dairy farm around £330 due to reduced milk production, reduced fertility, and increased risk of culling. This means that for the average 250 cow dairy herd with average levels of lameness, it will result in losses in the region of £65,000 per year.

Moreton Farm runs a 440 cow all year-round calving herd with the majority calving in the Autumn. Cows are currently averaging 7,800 litres per/cow/year at 4.30% butterfat and 3.35% protein. Lewis is aiming to push for higher yields and bring the whole herd into a single autumn calving block going forward. Since Lewis has joined the family business cow numbers have increased significantly alongside investments in infrastructure, a milking parlour, state of the art cubicle shed and more.

This project will be working closely with Sara Pedersen from Farm Dynamics to assess foot health and identify key areas to focus on to improve mobility in the herd. Specifically, the aim is to identify cows at an early stage of lameness to ensure that good recovery rates will be achieved and the impact on milk yield losses and fertility minimised. Alongside earlier detection there will also be a focus on preventing lameness occurring in the first instance.

Through the course of the project, we will be:

• Assessing foot trimming Contentand treatment data to identify key lesions causing lameness
• Undertaking a full farm risk assessment to identify key areas and develop an action plan to reduce the risk of lameness 
• Investigating options for improving early detection of lameness either through technology or regular mobility scoring
• Assessing foot trimming protocols and training/upskilling the farm team to ensure prompt, effective treatment after cows are identified as lame

We will be monitoring lameness prevalence and foot lesion incidence over the period of the project until the end of March 2025 and comparing it to the baseline at the start to determine the impact of changes implemented.

Through driving further improvement in efficiency in these key business areas, the project will also contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• Reduce the farm’s greenhouse gas emissions
• Support improvement in maximising carbon storage and sequestration whilst reducing the whole-farm carbon footprint
• Contribute to high herd health and welfare