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WINTER 2016/17 ISSUE
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
8
D IGI TAL DERMAT I T I S
Footbath designs
‘The best type and design of footbath is one
that is easy to put in place and fill, and that
allows good cow flow. They don’t need to be
expensive, to be good.
‘Cow flow can be improved by putting
blackout panels either side. Cows need to be
able to get some grip on the bottom of the
bath: a good non-slip surface is ideal, and
rubber matting in the bottom of the footbath
may help.
‘By having the footbath permanently in situ,
then cows won’t panic and dunging in the
bath can be reduced. This will prevent
deactivation of the active ingredient by
organic matter.
‘The longer the cow’s foot is in the bath, or the
more dunks of the foot, the better. The aim is to
have at least two dunks for each foot - so for
most dairy cows a minimum length of 3m is
needed. A longer footbath of 3.7m would
allow three foot dunks.
‘To ensure all of the cow’s feet go into the bath,
try to have sides that go straight up from the
bath so there are no ledges which allow feet to
escape the dunking.
‘Also remember, that the footbath needs to be
designed so that as the last cow goes through
it, there is still a depth of at least 10cm of
solution left. That’s enough to cover the back
of the heel.
Footbathing solutions
‘There are a number of solutions which can be
used in footbaths.
‘But first off, the volume of the footbath needs to
be known.‘ says Jon. ‘Only then can the
correct volume of water and concentration of
product, be calculated.
‘The possibility of evaporation over time, even
more so in hot weather, needs to be borne in
mind.
‘One of the cheapest footbathing solutions is
formalin. But this degrades over time, and has
a half-life of two and half days. So it’s
important to make sure that not only the right
concentration is used at the start, but also to
replace the solution if it has been there for
more than a day or two.
‘But beware: formalin has recently been
re-classified as a probable carcinogen. This
means it must only be used by a trained
professional person, wearing appropriate PPE
equipment - mask, gloves, goggles.
‘Farmers and farm managers should note that
it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure
their staff abide by this legislation. We don’t
yet know what the long term effects of
exposure are.
‘Copper sulphate is another popular choice,
although being a heavy metal, there are major
concerns relating to disposal of the footbath
solution. However, adding an acid into it, like
sodium bisulphate which is used in swimming
pools, will make the copper more available,
so less can be used in the first place.
‘De-ionised water may become an option in
the future. It is used in human medicine. It is an
effective quick-working disinfectant and the
breakdown product is harmless.
‘There are also a number of branded products
available; these can be based on tea-tree oil,
aloe vera, organic acids, or copper. Antibiotics
should not be required in footbaths in the
present climate, and the need for them
suggests that footbathing regimes need to be
re-evaluated.
Figure three. No ledges for feet to escape being
dunked, and blacked out sides
Figure two. A non-slip surface on the bottom of a
footbath
Figure four. A very wide footbath has been built to
speed cow flow for a large herd.
Keeping it out!
‘If a herd is fortunate to be free of digital
dermatitis, then biosecurity measures
need to be followed to keep it that way:
minimise the buying-in of animals, or at
least purchase them from farms similarly
clear of the infection. When animals
arrive on the farm, examine their feet
and footbath them.
‘Also be aware, that the bacterium can
be spread on foot-trimming equipment,
so this should be disinfected between
cows.‘
Synergy Farm Health vet Jon Reader discusses digital dermatitis and footbathing at a workshop held as
part of an XLVets farmer conference on Dairy Efficiencies, which took place at Harper Adams University
College in September 2016.