Lameness in cows: the Healthy Feet Programme

Our Healthy Feet Programme (HFP) aims to help dairy farmers reduce the number of lame cows on their farms by identifying and applying the right management techniques.

What is the Healthy Feet Programme?

Lame cows cost time and money. They are a problem; not only because of potential welfare issues, but they can also affect staff morale.

Lameness is a term that covers many conditions: some are caused by infection and some by physical and management factors. An understanding of which types of lameness are present, coupled with a structured approach to tackle the underlying causes, is required to tackle lameness effectively.

The Healthy Feet Programme will help you make significant progress towards diagnosing the problems, devising an action plan, and developing the skills necessary for long-term lameness control. Trained programme deliverers (vets or foot trimers who have attended a specialist course) facilitate the whole process and act as one-to-one advisers – or mobility mentors.

Trained specifically to deliver the HFP, mobility mentors are usually vets with a special interest in lameness control.

They will work with you to introduce the right working practices and management to reduce lameness on your farm.

Reducing antibiotic use in lameness using the Healthy Feet Programme

We should all be working towards reducing our antibiotic use, and the HFP can help you do just that.

Useful links