Farmer perceptions of lameness in pasture-based dairy farms in Southeast Brazil: A cross-sectional study

Lameness is commonly cited as one of the most important problems on dairy farms. This cross-sectional observational study at the herd level assessed farmer awareness and management of lameness in 48 small-scale grazing dairy herds in Minas Gerais, Brazil. On each farm, all lactating cows were mobility scored by a trained researcher using a 0 to 3 scale, and farmers completed a questionnaire including questions on their perception of lameness, its perceived consequences, motivations to control the condition, and general herd management practices. Farms ranged from 18 to 130 lactating cows, with a mean milk yield of 12.7 L/cow/d. Farmer-estimated lameness prevalence was 9.9% ± 6.4%, versus 16.1% ± 8.1% as assessed by researchers, but these estimates were positively correlated (Spearman ρ = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.57-0.81). Lameness was cited as a primary concern by 18 of the 48 farmers. Some farms reported using treatments such as parenteral antibiotics (18/48) and disinfectant solutions (9/48). Farmers cited structural inadequacies (42/48), skilled labor shortages (36/48), and insufficient information (35/48) as major barriers to lameness control. We conclude that, consistent with findings from other regions, dairy farmers reported lower lameness prevalence than researchers. This discrepancy could be due to differences in assessment methods, including that researcher estimates were based upon a single assessment whereas farmer estimates were based upon longitudinal assessments. Many farms also relied on treatments that are not supported by current scientific evidence. Together with the barriers identified, these findings suggest that efforts to reduce lameness in pasture-based dairy systems should consider regional and production-system-specific constraints. In the context studied, priority areas include improving farmers' ability to detect lame cows, expanding access to technical guidance, and addressing structural limitations that hinder timely treatment.