Perception of lameness management, education, and animal welfare implications in the feedlot from consulting nutritionists, veterinarians, and feedlot managers

Abstract

Increased production costs associated with an increase in the cost of feedstuffs has made animal health and production efficiency an ever more essential part of the feedlot beef industry. Compared with other feedlot health concerns, lameness has not been widely investigated but has been reported to account for 16% of all feedlot health problems. Costs associated with lame feedlot cattle include the cost of treatment, death loss, and loss due to chronic animals or realizer sale. Lameness, specifically footrot, is a cause of poor performance in feedlot cattle. The potential impact of lameness on cattle comfort and overall welfare, along with health and performance, warrants research to better understand the causes and pathogenesis of lameness.