Step-Up® Management Program for Beef Cattle

Cattle lameness affects all segments of the beef cattle industry, including cow-calf operations, stockers and feedlots.  Beef producers want healthy cattle to maximize productivity. This industry demand brings lameness to the forefront for producers managing feedyard economics and their overall bottom line. Healthy, non-lame cattle improve the overall return on investment for producers.

Recognizing the absence and need for a systematic approach to identify and manage lameness, Zinpro Corporation – in conjunction with the Beef Cattle Institute and Kansas State University – developed the Step-Up® Management Program. Step-Up is designed to provide comprehensive resources to identify, diagnose and treat lameness, as well as helping beef operations decrease the prevalence of lameness among cattle.

The Step-Up Management Program provides tools for beef producers, veterinarians and nutritionists to improve the well-being of beef cattle and elevate beef cattle lameness management through the industry.

Locomotion Scoring

The Step-Up® Locomotion Scoring system provides a universal approach to help improve the health and well-being of beef cattle. Step-Up locomotion scoring uses a simple 0 to 3 scale and is designed to help producers proactively identify each animal’s level of locomotion. Learn more about the Step-Up locomotion scoring system.

To watch instructional videos cow-side when using the Step-Up Locomotion Scoring system, utilize the Step-Up App, available on the App Store or Google Play. Learn more about the Step-Up App.

Lesion Identification

Correctly identifying the early signs of lameness and diagnosing the specific lameness issue is a common challenge for feedyards. The Beef Cattle Lameness Poster, available from Zinpro Corporation, was developed in cooperation with industry experts Dr. Dee Griffin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Dr. Tom Edwards. Learn more about how to properly identify causes of cattle lameness.

The Step-Up® App, a free resource to help manage beef cattle lameness, offers access to training resources including an easy-to-use diagnostic guide to help users determine the cause of lameness in their herd. Learn more about the Step-Up App.

Cattle Lameness Book

Cattle Lameness: Identification, Prevention and Control of Claw Lesions provides insights from cattle experts on lameness causes, anatomy, claw lesions and diseases, nutrition, and hoof and claw care.

Learn more about the book and what it offers.

Digital Dermatitis

Digital dermatitis is often referred to as hairy heel warts and is becoming a common infectious foot disease in beef cattle. It can cause painful lesions that often lead to lameness, which can account for 70 percent of all sales of non-performing cattle. Learn more about how to prevent and control this disease.