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Lameness Scoring in Dairy Herds: A Step-by-Step Guide

You cannot manage lameness you do not measure. Scoring takes a short time per cow and gives you early warning and a clear picture of herd trends.

Why score lameness at all

Lame cows eat less, lie differently, make less milk and are more likely to have breeding trouble. Cows often hide pain, so by the time a cow limps badly she may have been sore for a while. Regular scoring finds cows earlier, so hoof trimmers and vets can step in sooner.

Scoring also shows trends. If the share of lame cows is rising in one pen or one season, you know to look at stall comfort, flooring, walking surfaces, hoof trimming or foot bath routines.

Choose a scoring system

Several locomotion scoring systems exist, and most describe cows from sound to severely lame based on how they walk and how their back looks. Ask your vet, hoof trimmer or extension specialist which system they recommend and get pictures or videos that show each score.

Pick one system and stick with it. Consistency matters more than which system you choose, because you want to compare today's herd with last month's.

Set up a good place to score

Cows should walk on a flat, non-slip surface with good light, on a straight path long enough that you can watch several strides. Scoring cows as they leave the parlor works well in many barns because they walk naturally and calmly.

Avoid rushing, crowd gates and wet slippery spots. A cow that is afraid of slipping will walk differently.

• Flat, clean, non-slip surface
• Enough room to see several steps
• Cows walking calmly, not hurried
• Observer standing to the side, in good light
• Same spot and routine every time

Step by step: how to score

Watch each cow walk toward you or past you for several strides. Look at her back while she stands and while she walks, then look at head movement and how evenly she places each foot. Do not score while she is turning or being pushed.

Assign a score, write it down at once with the cow ID, and move on. Ideally the same trained person or small group does the scoring so they stay consistent.

• Observe the cow standing, then walking
• Note arched back, head bob and uneven steps
• Check that she is not hurried or distracted
• Record the score with cow ID immediately
• Flag cows that fall into the lame categories for a follow-up check

What to do with the results

Cows scoring as mildly lame often respond best to early attention, so schedule a hoof check soon rather than waiting for the next routine trimming. Cows scoring as clearly lame should be looked at promptly by a trained hoof trimmer or your vet, since the cause can be a treatable problem that gets worse when left alone.

Also review the herd percentage. Compare groups by days in milk, stall type, pen and season. Share the findings with your vet and hoof trimmer so everyone works toward the same goals.

Keep the program going

Pick a schedule that your team can keep, such as scoring the herd on a regular repeat cycle. Short, regular sessions are better than a big effort once a year. Train new staff and recheck agreement between scorers a couple of times a year by scoring the same cows together and comparing notes.

Common mistakes

Scoring only cows that already look bad, changing systems midstream, scoring on slippery floors and not recording results are frequent problems. Another is scoring without a plan for the cows you find. Decide beforehand who trims, who treats and who follows up. Any treated cow's milk and meat must be held for the withdrawal time on the label or set by your vet.

More in Herd Health & Disease Management

• Digital Dermatitis: Control Plans for Dairy Farms
• Hairy Heel Wart Treatment and Prevention
• Sole Ulcers in Dairy Cows: Causes and Prevention
• Cow Comfort and Lameness: What the Data Says
• Udder Health Monitoring with Somatic Cell Counts
• Teat Condition Scoring: Why It Matters