Key results:
- Reduction in new cases of lesions on most established farms in the project
- High uptake of recommendations based on practical farmer- led action plans
- Investment in training outside of the group recommendations
- Better recording of lesions
- Understanding of key risks on farm based on the lesions present
- Increased use of pain relief when identifying and treating lame cows
Background:
Lameness is a major issue for Welsh dairy farms with impacts on cow welfare, farm economics, environmental footprint, and public perception of the sector. This project recruited five dairy farmers from the Dairy Southwest Discussion Group who wanted to upskill in hoof health and reduce lameness in their herds. All five farms are spring block calving farms in Ceredigion. The Dairy Southwest Discussion Group is facilitated by Anna Bowen from The Andersons Centre, a RoMS accredited mobility scorer. For this project, the farms worked with vet and hoof health expert Dr Sara Pedersen.
Purpose of the work:
- Evaluate the level of lameness in these herds and work out the main lesions responsible for lameness
- Create individual action plans for each farm highlighting the key things that could be done to reduce the risk of lameness within the herd
- Work as a group to provide accountability and to create practical ways of achieving the action plan through farmer led learning
What we did:
Each farm had an individual visit from Sara to walk the farm and review foot trimming data and mobility scores if available. During the visit, Sara identified key risks for lameness on each farm and worked with the farmer to create an action plan of recommendations for reducing these risks. In spring 2025 Anna Bowen mobility scored each herd to provide a comparable and up to date snapshot of each herd. Through the project four of the five farms hosted a group meeting where the action plan was reviewed, and the farmers worked together to provide practical solutions on how to implement. A whatsapp group was created for accountability and to share resources. Each farmer submitted hoof trimming records throughout the year for analysis. Several members of the group completed hoof trimming courses partially funded by Farming Connect. Each farm will be mobility scored again in spring 2026, after the official end of the project.
Outcomes:
Initial mobility scoring showed the farms had a lameness prevalence ranging from just under 20 to 30%. This is good compared to industry figures which show that a third of the national herds are lame on any given day. It should be noted that as these are all spring calving herds, lameness may be seasonal with clear differences seen at housing, when tracks are wet and muddy in the shoulder season, and when cows are dried off. Very positively two of the five farms had a 0% prevalence of score 3- very lame- cows.
Uptake of actions was high across the group with the majority completed by the project end or planned for spring/summer 2026. These included putting down astroturf, changing protocols around treating lame cows, and completing hoof trimming courses.
Results from the first year of this work will not show the full impact of the project- each herd will need to go through the full cycle of dry off, calve in, and get back out to grazing before the actions will pay off. Nevertheless, data was collected on lesions and started to build a picture. It is important to note that one of the outcomes was better data recording- so an increase in one type of lesion may not reflect an increase in lameness but an improvement in recording cases.
Successes include;
- Reduction in white line from 24% of the herd to 16% of the herd for Farm A
- Farm B started to record data and an even bigger success on this farm is the implementation of monthly mobility scoring at both farm units with team members scoring each other's cows
- Farm A, C, and D reported a reduction in the percentage of the herd with new cases of lameness, showing that actions are preventing cows from becoming lame. This not shown for Farm B who is in the first year of recording or for Farm E who had a very young herd of cows in 2024
- Better recording of lesions from Farm D in 2025 with feet picked up each month and cases recorded. Fewer cases generally in 2025 than in 2024 of white line
- Reducing numbers of cases of white line/month for Farm C as winter 2025 progressed
- Lower numbers of new and repeat cases of digital dermatitis for Farm C
- Farm A’s herd showed a massive decrease in number of new cases of white line; almost all cases in 2025 repeats suggesting that sound cows are not becoming lame from this cause
How to apply on your farm:
- Carry out routine mobility scoring with a RoMS accredited scorer
- Track new and repeat cases of white line disease, digital dermatitis, and sole ulcers- not just all cases
- Work with a Mobility Mentor to find the main risks of lameness on your farm, specific to the type of lesions identified e.g. if sole ulcers are not an issue feed barrier modification is unlikely to be a priority
- Tackle the easy wins and use other farmers and industry professionals to provide accountability
Invest in training in hoof trimming for the farm team
Please contact timtechnegolcff@mentera.cymru if you would like to receive a copy of the full final report for this project.