Dairy Cows Helped by Chiropractic

The science behind chiropractic is concerned with the proper function of the nervous system. When there is interference to the nervous system from spinal subluxations, there is a resulting malfunction somewhere in the body. This concept has been shown to be true in the tens of millions of satisfied patients who have visited chiropractors over the years.

Although the anatomies are different, this same principle can also be applied to animals with a spinal column. To date, horses and dogs have been the most common non-human recipients of chiropractic care. A new study now adds a new animal to that group, but this one may have a larger impact on humans, our food chain, and the economy.

On November 24, 2024, the journal Veterinary Science published the results of a study that shows that chiropractic care helped dairy cows with lameness. This study suggests that chiropractic for dairy cows could result in a large financial benefit for the dairy industry. The research was performed at the Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, in Germany.

The authors of this study begin by explaining, "Lameness, also attributed to musculoskeletal disorders of the back, is a major issue in dairy cow farming, affecting both animal welfare and economics. Chiropractic techniques are well studied in humans and horses for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders."

This study reviewed five individual cases of dairy cows that were having a variety of problems due to lameness. Each of the dairy cows had issues from lameness causing activities and behaviors that resulted in a decrease of their productivity as a dairy cow.

In each of these cases chiropractic adjustments appropriate to the specific anatomy of cows were applied to areas that were determined to be subluxated. The cases were each documented for changes resulting from the chiropractic care.

The results showed that all of the cows in this study benefited from chiropractic care and eliminated their symptoms and activities. This allowed the cows to act normally and become productive dairy producers again. In their conclusion, the authors wrote, "Chiropractic treatment can relieve pain without the waiting period required by many medications. It can promote healing and improve performance parameters and cow comfort. This is desirable from an economic and animal welfare perspective."