Scoring hair loss and lesions

This page covers how to score hair loss and lesions in dairy cows to assess comfort, housing and management. We explain why scoring is important, how to carry it out consistently and how to use the results to identify and reduce sources of injury within the cow’s environment.

Hair loss and lesions show that the skin and, in some cases, the underlying tissue have been damaged. Scratches, cuts or scars should be included only if they are at least 3 mm wide.

Occasional small areas of skin damage may be inevitable among a herd of cattle, but areas larger than 2 cm should raise concern.

Hairless patches can indicate:

• Rubbing on rough surfaces
• Skin irritation
• Ectoparasite presence
• Previous injuries (scars)

The location of hair loss and lesions helps identify the cause. For example, legs, knees and hocks with hair loss or lesions often suggest uncomfortable lying areas, with abrasive surfaces, insufficient bedding and/or hard surfaces.

Hair loss or lesions to the neck often indicate an inadequate feed barrier or incorrect cubicle neck rail height.

Scoring the entire herd is best practice. If this isn’t practical, use the minimum sample sizes below to get an accurate picture of your herd.

Herd size          Minimum sample size

Up to 50             30 cows, or all cows if fewer than 30

50–100               50 cows

100–200             65 cows

201 or more      73 cows

Visually assess the entire cow according to the following areas:

• Head and neck
• Front legs
• Hind legs and hock
• Rest of the body

Choose a time and place that will allow you to observe cows; for example, legs and hocks can easily be observed in the milking parlour.

Alternatively, observe cows during routine management procedures such as hoof trimming, artificial insemination (AI), pregnancy checks and routine vaccinations.

Tally the scores for each body part.

• No hair loss or lesions
• Lesions or hairless patches smaller than 2 cm in diameter

• One or more hairless patches larger than 2 cm in diameter
• Scars included only if at least 3 mm wide

• One or more lesions larger than 2 cm in diameter
• Lesions include open wounds, areas of skin damage or scabs
• Scratches or cuts included only if at least 3 mm wide

Use the location of the lesions to investigate where hair loss and lesions (scores 1 and 2) might be occurring in the cow’s environment.

• Head and neck lesions may be caused by incorrect neck barrier height in cubicles or at the feed face. They could also be caused by protruding items in housing or cow flow areas
• Front leg lesions may be caused by poor cubicle comfort, the amount and type of bedding or protruding items
• Hind leg and hock lesions may be caused by poor cubicle comfort or the amount and type of bedding
• Lesions on the rest of the body may be caused by broken cubicle fittings or protruding or low-hanging items

Make any necessary changes to reduce the number of hair loss patches. Regularly score the herd and monitor the scores to see if the changes have had the desired effect.

• Helps identify areas of discomfort in the cow’s environment
• Motivates farm staff to focus on cow comfort and overall herd health and performance
• Helps meet assurance scheme requirements
• Highlights areas that increase the risk of injury