The Farmers Mart Aug-Sep 2019 - Issue 64 | Page 32

32 LIVESTOCK AUG/SEP 2019 • farmers-mart.co.uk TACKLE LAMENESS BEFORE IT HITS YOUR BOTTOM LINE Effective footbathing – Tips for getting it right WHEN it comes to footbathing for lame- ness control, more often is always better! It helps to reduce the incidence of new infections and improve the condition of the hoof - effective footbathing can reduce lameness by up to 70%! Renowned cattle veterinarian Roger Blowey, FRCVS steadfastly advises fellow farmers to treat hoof issues like mastitis and footbath all milking cows daily, just like teat dipping and that to control lame- ness, prevention is the best approach. He also asserts that greater economic benefit can come from footbathing more frequently than any other animal health change made on farm. Digital dermatitis (DD) is an infectious condition and one of the major causes of lameness reducing mobility, comfort, feed intake, milk yield and fertility. This infectious condition can spread quickly through the entire herd and can reduce milk yield by at least one litre per cow per day. Footbathing frequency DairyCo (2008) report shows that foot- bathing throughout the year consistently keeps the number of lame cows to a low number and that it is an important way to reduce the DD challenge. Although during the busy summer months footbathing can be a lower priority for many, with winter only round the corner, now is a good time to re-focus on herd lameness. Early proactive footbathing coming into winter months will help abate those inherent spikes in infection rates during this time and help the transition to a positive winter milk production. Footbath solution Some chemicals quickly become ineffec- tive when in contact with organic matter so choosing a scientifically proven footbath solution which also has robust on-farm data is important. A clinical trial by the Royal Veterinary College compared Hoofsure Endurance to formalin. 90 cows were involved in a 24 week split footbath study. Before Konquest application 1 minute after Konquest application Results after 12 weeks showed Hoofsure Endurance to be 19% more effective than formalin*. The Journal of Dairy Science published a study comparing Hoofsure Endurance to copper sulfate. After 9 weeks, Hoofsure Endurance was 7% more effective than copper sulfate at reducing the incidence of lesions*. Topical application - Cattle While footbathing plays a vital role in preventing many lameness conditions, topical applications to lesions are required where infection rates or pressure are high. Even with an effective foot bathing programme, the incidence of Digital Dermatitis (DD) on any given farm will have intermittent spikes. This may be due to stocking rate changes, increased calving periods, seasonal factors, etc. The best way to manage lesions associated with DD is to identify them early and treat directly. Early intervention prior to onset of lame- ness can resolve the lesion quickly and avoid much of the unnecessary associated economic loss. For instance, a typical DD case will cost £99 per case (AHDB source) due to treatments costs, milk loss 17 days after Konquest application and reduced fertility performance. For immature lesions, Provita have developed a unique non-antibiotic spray, Hoofsure Combat. This topical spray plaster acts rapidly on contact to form a waterproof film which seals out dirt and bacteria thus stopping re-infection while allowing natural healing. This can be applied on consec- utive days for up to 1 week as required. Hoofsure Konquest gel is for those larger lesions (>2cm) which may require a light bandage application. A 24 hour contact time with the infectious lesion is ample time for treatment and avoids leaving tight bandages on for longer than necessary which can have negative effects. Also Konquest contains no antibiotics with the added benefit of no milk withdrawal period. As Summer 2019 draws to an end (*sigh*) and we edge ever closer to autumn/winter rehousing, this presents an ideal opportu- nity to put in a concerted effort to tackle any lameness concerns. This means farms will be starting from a healthy low base of lameness before housing, making it easier to reduce and manage any unwanted spikes. Topical application – Sheep With recent guidance saying that foot trimming does not have a place for controlling infectious lameness in sheep (Farmers Weekly 26-7-19). In fact latest research has shown it may exacerbate the problem and lead to the spread of infectious bodies via equipment and between sheep. Thus the use of effective topical treatments is more important, and Provita’s Combat spray and Konquest gel would have a role to play in any sheep lameness plan. The film-forming action of Combat makes it tremendously bene- ficial for scald treatment and prevents reinfection of area. A high number of applications is available in each bottle making it cost-effective. For those “harder to treat”, more chronic lesions, Konquest gel would be the chosen product. Available in 300g jars or 30g syringes for ease of use and works quickly to treat and reduce pain of lameness. For further information please contact George Shaw MPharm MPSNI on [phone] or [email protected] *References available on request