A systematic review and meta-analyses of risk factors associated with lameness in dairy cows.

Lameness in dairy cows has been an ongoing concern of great relevance to animal welfare and productivity in modern dairy production. Many studies have examined associations between various factors related to housing, management, and the individual animal and the occurrence of lameness. The objective of this systematic review was to answer the research question "what are risk factors associated with lameness in dairy cows that are housed in free stall barns or tie stall facilities". Furthermore, we performed a synthesis of current evidence on certain risk factors by means of a meta-analysis to illustrate the strength of their association with bovine lameness.