Economic Impact of Lameness

Lameness is a disease that directly affects many other aspects of the operation, making it very difficult to get precise dollar figures on what this epidemic is really costing dairy producers. However, researchers do agree that it's one of the most costly diseases when the additive effects are taken into account. These include lower milk production, less lactations, increase in cull rate, deaths, poor breeding, lower weight due to poor feeding, increased incidences of mastitis, vet and drug treatment costs, and increase labor needed to manage the problem.

The bottom line on the economic impact of lameness is that it is probably above and beyond what any researcher can estimate because of all the additive affects associated with this disease. Rest-assured if you have lame cows, they are costing you a significant amount of money in lost profits, and the problem must be addressed in order to make your dairy a more financially viable operation.