In Greece, approximately 13 million sheep and goats are raised, of which 1.3 million tons of milk and 71,000 tons of meat are produced (ELSTAT 2019).

According to research, the majority (80%) of herds face a lameness problem to varying degrees. It has recently been established that 40% of farmed flocks face a lameness problem at a rate greater than 5%. For herds with 10% or more lameness-affected animals, losses are estimated at around €10 per animal per year. This cost includes the required medication, labor costs for podiatry, milk loss and vet fees.

All this can be avoided by implementing the proposed system for the early diagnosis of lameness. The farmer will now have in his hands a reliable tool with which he can improve the efficiency of the herd by taking advantage of the full life cycle of his livestock by avoiding the premature slaughter of animals with lameness. It will also increase the milk production capacity of the animals significantly through the quick diagnosis of the symptoms of diseases in the latent state as well as the disorders of the nutrition of the animals.

Finally, there will be positive effects on the operational costs of the unit through the reduction of expenses for pharmaceutical treatments and veterinary services. As a consequence, there will be an upgrade of local products, strengthening of human resources at the local level, upgrade and expansion of the company’s operations as well as partnership with research institutes benefiting from the adoption of new technologies.