Many farmers don't realise the huge production, health and profitability issues attached to lameness and just how costly it can be to your business, due to:
| Reduced milk yields from stress, lower food intake and extended calving interval |
| Lameness can actually cause up to 20% loss in milk production |
| Increased veterinary treatments |
| Higher herd culling rate and replacement costs |
| Higher fertility costs due to extra services |
| Discarded milk |
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Increased labour to treat infected cows
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| Increased risks of other diseases |
| As much as 25% of cows in your herd could be lame at any one time, resulting in serious financial losses of up to £4,000 for the average herd of 100 cows, or £40 per cow* |
Contaminated animals can quickly pass on infection to the whole herd. This problem can be made worse in herds with high density or zero grazing.
* Source: Reading University Daisy records and Kossaibati, Esslemont and Watson, 1999
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