September 2026 – Could lameness be costing your herd up to €9,000 a year?

Lameness doesn’t just affect cow welfare and mobility – it can have a significant impact on your bottom line. In a 100-cow dairy herd with a high prevalence of lameness, the cost can reach almost €9,000 per year.

The good news is that early identification, prompt treatment and practical preventative measures can make a difference.

Next week, we’re taking lameness management out onto the farm.

Animal Health Ireland’s Hoof HealthCheck Programme, supported by Norbrook and Provita, is inviting dairy farmers to Healthy Hooves to Healthy Herds – two practical events designed to help you spot lameness earlier, understand what is causing it and take steps to prevent problems in their own herds.

What will you take home?

You will have the opportunity to hear about practical approaches to tackling lameness, hear directly from experts and ask questions about the challenges they are seeing in their own herds.

We’ll look at:

• How to spot the early signs of lameness
• The main causes of lameness and what to look out for
• Practical steps that can help prevent problems
• How to manage a lame cow appropriately
• Ways to improve cow mobility, welfare and performance

Whether you’re already dealing with lame cows or want to prevent lameness becoming a bigger problem, the aim is to send you home with practical information you can put into action on your own farm.

These events are free to attend, with no booking required. Come along and hear excellent advice from our Lameness experts!

Join us in Cavan or Kildare next week and take practical steps to protect your cows – and your bottom line.