November 23, 2010
Zinpro outlines strategies for infectious lesion control
Press Release
The onset of cold, wet winter weather can present a unique set of challenges when it comes to managing infectious lesions that cause lameness on a dairy.
"While many dairies use footbath programs throughout the year to help
control infectious lesions, use typically decreases during winter months due to the potential for ice formation and the fact that some footbath products, such as formaldehyde, are ineffective in cold conditions," says Jeff DeFrain, a Research Nutritionist from Zinpro Corporation.
"The result is that the typical weather conditions can lead to a breakdown in skin integrity, allowing easy entry of bacteria into the foot."
Research has shown that on most dairies in northern climates, the percentage of cows treated for infectious lesions such as digital dermatitis (hairy heel warts) and foot rot increases during the winter months.
Infectious lesions can be caused by a variety of factors, including inadequate footbath programs, dirty environmental conditions, stress, introducing cattle from an infected herd, lack of claw maintenance programs, and inadequate nutrition (micronutrients).
"To determine if infectious lesions are a problem in the herd, we advise producers to review their hoof trimming records," DeFrain notes.
"By comparing the incidence of infectious lesions versus non-infectious lesions, the primary cause of lameness can be identified," he said.
Research has shown that feeding a combination of trace minerals (Zn, Mn, Cu and Co) in a highly available complexed form helps decrease both the incidence and severity of common claw lesions.
Some methods are maintenance trim cows at least two times per year and helps keep cows off their heels, while also opening up the interdigital space.
As the leader in trace mineral nutrition, Zinpro is committed to delivering products and educational tools needed to help customers improve the performance and profitability of their operations.
A winter footbath management considerations ensure cows have access to a clean area after passing through a footbath. One should stop using formaldehyde when temperature of solution cannot be maintained above 45 degrees Fahrenheit, 5% copper or zinc sulfate solutions, use hoof trimming records to determine efficacy of alternative commercial products and change footbath treatment solution every 150 to 200 cows.
This frequency will vary depending on cow cleanliness, use of a pre-bath, type of disinfectant or chemical concentration, biosecurity, and level of infectious claw lesions in the herd and weather conditions.
Thoroughly drain footbath and rinse before mixing a new batch of solution. On days when footbaths are not filled with a treatment solution, consider filling the pre-bath (if used) and treatment bath with a 1% mild soap solution. This can help minimise manure buildup on the feet.
