One of the most common problems is mastitis with over one-third of the UK dairy herd contracting this every year. Mastitis is a painful infection of the udder which can lead to depressed appetite, dehydration and severe diarrhoea and can be fatal. It is commonly caused by poor hygiene in cubicle houses and milking parlours, especially where cattle are forced to lie in damp, dirty straw bedding. The way in which cows are milked, milk being extracted by a method known as vacuum pulsation, also means that tissue may be weakened and so more prone to infection. Overmilking can also cause teat injuries leading to mastitis.
Cows suffering from lameness can be in considerable pain.
Lameness is most commonly due to the abnormally large udder of the dairy cow distorting the gait and posture of the cows hind limbs so predisposing to foot damage and subsequent lameness. Lameness can also be caused or exacerbated by inappropriate housing or feeding. Many cows are still housed in cubicles built 20 to 30 years ago. Today's dairy cows are larger and longer than their predecessors and are often forced to stand with their hind feet in the passageway in which manure collects. This can soften the cows hooves and encourages infection.