Lameness in pigs has been an issue in swine production for many
years and continues to be a worldwide problem. Although lameness
can be caused by congenital or developmental abnormalities, the
majority of lameness in production animals is caused by pain
associated with infections, trauma-related injuries, or
underlying metabolic diseases. Because an increasing prevalence
or incidence of lameness in a herd is likely to affect
viability, growth, or reproduction of pigs, it is a financial
issue worth addressing from the overall productivity viewpoint.
Pig flow may be affected if too few pigs are weaned or if growth
of a batch of grower/finisher pigs is slowed. A lameness problem
in a herd, like diseases in other systems, involves a broad
approach if a diagnosis (or diagnoses) is to be reached so that
preventive or curative measures can be provided for the
producer. Before a lameness problem can be investigated on a
farm, an understanding of the operation of the farm itself is
essential. Although there is a tende