Animal Health Ireland (AHI) is to launch a new plan which it says will address lameness in cows on dairy farms.

The Sound Cow Innovation Programme (SCIP) is described as a "collaborative effort" aimed at improving the way lameness is managed on Irish dairy farms.

It is a joint initiative between AHI, Teagasc, University College Dublin (UCD) and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and other stakeholders with expertise addressing lameness.

SCIP will provide farmers with science-based and practical support for tackling what AHI said is an "ongoing welfare issue".

According to AHI, the programme will be based on a preventative approach, with farmers carrying out monthly mobility scoring of their herds, using a mobile or online tool to record and track results.

The animal health body said this would allow for early detection of issues and would allow prompt intervention before lameness worsens.

Farmers will also partner with trained vets and hoof trimmers to create lameness management plans for their specific herd and system.

Plans may involve changes to routine trimming, housing, hygiene, foot bathing practices, or treatment protocols, AHI said.

Training and advisory support are also set to be available under the programme.

The focus of the programme will be on "gradual improvements", and "empowering farmers to take practical steps".

AHI said that the SCIP programme can lead to healthier hooves, reduced economic losses linked to lameness, and a "likely decrease in antibiotic use thanks to earlier treatment".

The SCIP programme will be officially launched at the Teagasc Moorepark Open Day on July 2 in Fermoy, Co. Cork.

According to AHI, lameness in dairy cows is typically caused by conditions such a white line disease; sole ulcers and bruising; digital dermatitis; and overgrown claws.

These conditions arise from a mix of contributing factors, grouped into four broad categories: environment; cow management; nutrition; and individual animal characteristics.