Risk factors associated with dairy cattle lameness and hock and knee injuries on Iranian dairy farms.

Increased hoof trimming frequency and improved stockmanship reduce lameness and leg injuries in dairy cattle.

This Iranian dairy farm study identified key risk factors for lameness and hock/knee injuries using welfare assessment data across different housing systems. Lameness showed inverse association with increased hoof trimming frequency (>2 times annually reduced odds by 45%), while external hoof trimmer contractors paradoxically increased lameness risk (OR 1.71). All hock and knee injury types were significantly more prevalent in free-stall compared to bedded-pack housing systems. Hock swelling and ulcers demonstrated strong positive associations with poor stockmanship practices (OR 3.83 and 4.84 respectively), suggesting management quality substantially influences leg health. The distinct risk factor patterns between injury types indicate different aetiological mechanisms. These findings provide baseline data from understudied housing systems and emphasize the multifactorial nature of dairy cattle leg problems, highlighting that both preventive hoof care protocols and stockmanship quality warrant targeted intervention strategies.

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