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Abstract: Reducing lameness in dairy herds requires farmers to adapt or change existing practices or resources. Those who seek to improve animal welfare by influencing the actions of farmers need to understand farmers’ motivations. To investigate why farmers see lameness as a problem and what motivates their efforts to reduce lameness, a questionnaire was carried out with 222 UK dairy farmers. Farmers considered pain and suffering for the cows to be an important outcome of lameness, but reduced performance by lame cows was also seen as a considerable problem. The motivator most commonly given high importance was pride in a healthy herd. Factors incorporating accreditation issues, public image and costs of treatment were generally seen to be of some, but lesser importance. Advisors need to take all these areas into consideration when working to encourage farmers to act to reduce lameness and thereby improve animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On 222 dairy farms, the farmer’s perception of the scale of the herd lameness problem was compared with the prevalence detected by observation of the milking herd, and a questionnaire explored the barriers to lameness reduction. Ninety percent of farmers did not perceive lameness to be a major problem on their farm, although the average prevalence of lameness was 36%. For 62% of the sample, lameness was not the top priority for efforts made to improve herd health. Time and labour were important limiting factors for lameness control activities and financial constraints prevented farmers taking action on advice in 30% of cases. Farmers’ understanding the implications of lameness for the farm business was limited. Lameness reduction is restricted by farmers’ perception of lameness, but also by time, labour and finance; these issues need to be addressed at the industry level to support animal welfare improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]