Genetic and management solutions for lameness-associated endemic diseases in dairy cattle

The project will collate cow lameness data from different sources, including UK foot trimmers, milk recording, photo imaging, previous BBSRC funded work (including SRUC participation), and video analytics empowered by artificial intelligence. This unique database will be used for the genetic and genomic analyses of multiple animal traits related to the health of cow feet, aiming to generate new and enrich existing national genetic evaluations. Different breeding strategies will then be evaluated, based on these results, and their efficacy in controlling lameness will be determined. The database will be also used to generate management insights and develop relevant practices for on-farm use.