A Review of Foot-Related Lameness in Feedlot Cattle

Lameness is the second most prevalent morbidity in North American feedlot cattle and is both an animal welfare and economic concern for the industry. Lameness accounts for 30 to 40% of all feedlot treatments with greater than 70% being foot-related lameness (FRL). This review focused on foot rot (FR), digital dermatitis (DD) and toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS). While there are significant study-to-study differences regarding the prevalence of FR, DD and TTNS, it is unequivocal that FR is the most prevalent FRL. Poor pen conditions are risk factors for both FR and DD, but the epidemiology of the two diseases is quite different. Whereas FR is diagnosed throughout the feeding period, DD typically occurs after 80 days on feed (DOF). Toe tip necrosis syndrome is the least prevalent of the three FRL, but has the greatest negative effect on animal welfare and production performance. Most cases of TTNS occur within 50 DOF with treatment failure leading to a significant loss in production performance and even death. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology of lameness in feedlot cattle, with emphasis on the prevalence and risk factors associated with FR, DD and TTNS.