Lameness in dairy cattle is described as a clinical symptom representing underlying pathologies, with foot lesions being the most common cause. Digital dermatitis (DD) is the most important infectious cause of lameness, whereas claw horn disruption lesions - the collective term for lesions such as sole ulcers (SU), sole hemorrhage (SH), and white line disease (WL)—are the main noninfectious causes. Lameness is prevalent worldwide and is associated with significant and wide-ranging adverse effects on cow welfare as well as production efficiency.
