- Dr. Rebecca Simon, Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen
- Saskia Markmann, Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen
- Leonie Schnecker, Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen
- Prof. Dr. Prisca Kremer-Rücker, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences
- Kathrin Weber, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences
Inflammatory and necrotic changes at the tip of the tail (the connective tissue end of the tail) can occur in both beef cattle and dairy cows. In most cases, it is not just individual animals but large sections of the herd that are affected. To date, there are no universally applicable figures on the incidence of this condition. The phenomenon has been described in various regions worldwide (Kremer-Rücker and Weber 2026).
The appearance and severity of the lesions vary considerably, ranging from keratinisation to tissue necrosis. Early signs can easily be overlooked as they are concealed by the hairs of the tail tuft (Metzner et al. 1994). It is therefore advisable to shear the animal for a proper assessment.
The latest scientific findings (e.g. from the TINCa Dairy I and II projects) suggest that impaired blood flow to the tip of the tail and the associated inflammation are the causes of the changes observed. External trauma (e.g. fractures or skin injuries caused by slipping or being kicked), on the other hand, cannot be cited as the main cause (Köhler et al. 2025). A link between inflammatory changes in the tip of the tail and the animals’ feed regime or metabolic status is likely (e.g. subacute ruminal acidosis). The provision of sufficient quantities of high-quality water is also an important factor in this context. The influence of genetic factors still needs to be investigated.
As tail injuries can be accompanied by sometimes severe pain (Laven and Jermy 2020) and impairments (de Oliviera and Keeling 2018) for the affected animals, early detection is crucial for subsequent therapeutic measures and for addressing the root causes.
Researchers are continuing to work on elucidating the exact causes and development of inflammatory-necrotic injuries to the tip of the tail, in order to further refine options for prevention and treatment and thereby enhance animal welfare.
The current state of knowledge regarding the aetiology, assessment of severity, action to be taken in an emergency and prevention is summarised in the following poster.
Further information
TINCa Dairy – Tail Inflammation and Necrosis in Dairy Cattle
Heat stress in dairy cows – identification and measures
DLG Fact Sheet 498: Water supply for cattle – Structural, technical and needs-based solutions
Mycotoxins in Cows – Myths and Facts
Monitoring feed hygiene – before animal health suffers
Feeding and trough hygiene: To make it taste better!
DLG Information: Ration optimisation and feeding monitoring for dairy cows
Subacute Rumen Acidosis (SARA): Acidic rumen and its consequences
Bibliography
- de Oliveira, D., Keeling, L.J., 2018. Routine activities and emotion in the life of dairy cows: Integrating body language into an affective state framework. PLoS ONE 13, 1–16. doi:10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0195674
- Heers, P., Beune, H., Freitag, M., 2017. Tail tip necrosis in fattening bulls – investigating the causes on fattening farms. Research Notes.
- Köhler, A. A., Scholz, A., Kremer-Rücker, P. V, 2025. Tail tip temperatures measured by thermography as an indicator of animal health in Holstein cows. Animal 19 (10). DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2025.101621.
- Kremer-Rücker, P. V., Abel, K. M., Lorenz, L. M., Schmidt, C., Lechner, M., Schubert, K. F., Köhler, A. A., Meier, S., Scholz, A. M., 2024. A pilot study: tail tip lesions in dairy cows – an unnoticed animal welfare issue? Archives of Animal Breeding 67, 271–284. doi:10.5194/aab-67-271-2024.
- Kremer-Rücker, P. V., Weber, K. M., 2026, Review: Tail lesions in dairy cows – a summary of what’s new about the old. Animal. doi: 10.1016/j.animal.2026.101785.
- Laven, R.A., Jermy, M.C., 2020. Measuring the torque required to cause vertebral dislocation in cattle tails. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 68, 107–111. doi:10.1080/00480169.2019.1685019.
- Lorenz, L., Volkwein, M., Schmidt, C., Lechner, M., Kremer-Rücker, P. V., 2024, A look inside – Histopathological examinations of different tail tip lesions in dairy cows. Animals 14 (14). DOI: 10.3390/ani4142094.
- Metzner, M., Hofmann, W., Heckert, H.P., Koberg, J., Raue, F., 1994. On the epidemiology of tail-tip inflammation in fattening bulls. Tierärztliche Umschau 49, 348–355.
- Weber, K. M., Albersdörfer, R., Schmidt, C., Kremer-Rücker, P. V., 2026. Clinical presentation of tail inflammation and necrosis in dairy cows: A possible manifestation of bovine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (BINS). Dairy 7 (4). DOI: 10.3390/dairy7040062.