Focus on Footbathing - evolutionfarmvets.co.uk · If you do choose to footbath, ... The solution...
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March 2018 Lameness update Focus on Fobathing Footbathing is a great way to help to keep infecon levels down and therefore keep on top of infecous lameness issues such as Digital Dermas and Foul. Many farms use it as one of their tools along with environmental factors, the main one being keeping the exposure of skin to slurry at a minimum. It is worth nong that footbathing alone with no other control factors is unlikely to fix a digital dermas problem. Historically, footbathing with anbiocs was commonly done. This is now illegal and, in today’s climate of anmicrobial resistance issues, is not something that we can advocate. Instead, we suggest targeng the animals with lesions. Clean the lesion with dilute chlorhexidine (Hibiscrub); rinse and dry well. Then spray with a licensed product such as Cyclospray (Oxytetracycline) or Taf Spray (Thiamphenicol). Deep-seated infecons may warrant a course of injectable anbiocs. On a herd level, it is crucial to keep the feet clean. Along with controlling the level of slurry, REGULAR cleaning with one of many products which work on foot hygiene and condion. We like Intra Hoof-Fit spray which can be installed in your parlour and sprayed individually sprayed on each animal, thereby avoiding the issues of contaminaon which you may come across using a foot bath. If you do choose to footbath, it is important to choose an effecve disinfectant such as Copper Sulphate, Glutaraldehyde or Formalin. It must be done regularly and it is crucial that the foot bath is changed regularly in order to reduce the chance of contaminaon. Done badly, footbathing can be a disaster. Done well, it can be a great tool to help you in the fight against Digi. Finally, you need to monitor the progress of the disease levels on farm. Again, we can do that for you if you so wish. Sally FOOTBATHING DOS AND DON’TS FOOTBATHING D0S AND DON’TS : USE EFFECTIVE DISINFECTANT Formalin; Gluteraldehyde; Copper Sulphate NOT parlour washings or plain water NOT TOO MANY COWS THROUGH THE BATH. Common sense should prevail here. When the soluon looks dirty, it probably is dirty so will need changing. Pung more cows through a dirty bath will spread infecon rather than reduce it. ENSURE THE FOOTBATH IS LONG ENOUGH AND DEEP ENOUGH The soluon needs to come above the coronet band (100mm) and each cow needs to take 3-4 steps in the soluon. TIPS ON CONTROL OF DIGITAL DERMATITIS Early Detection and treatment This is the same with all lameness issues– the quicker it is picked up and dealt with, the better. Ensure that feet are lifted, cleaned and kept as dry as possible. Reduce slurry Cows lying contentedly in a clean bed are cows which are not standing in slurry and therefore not exposed to digi bugs. Stocking density is therefore key here. Hygiene and keeping feet dry are other essential points to consider. Biosecurity There are many different types of digital dermatitis and, once you get them on your farm, it is almost impossible to get rid of them. So, buying infected cattle is a good way to increase the types and levels of digi on your farm NOTE : PRODUCT CHANGE. To prevent a price-rise, we will shortly be replacing Alamycin Aero with Cyclospray. Be aware that Cyclospray is a larger can but, ml for ml, the price will remain the same.
Transcript of Focus on Footbathing - evolutionfarmvets.co.uk · If you do choose to footbath, ... The solution...
March 2018
Lameness update
Focus on Footbathing
Footbathing is a great way to help to keep infection levels down and therefore keep on top of infectious lameness issues such as Digital Dermatitis and Foul. Many farms use it as one of their tools along with environmental factors, the main one being keeping the exposure of skin to slurry at a minimum. It is worth noting that footbathing alone with no other control factors is unlikely to fix a digital dermatitis problem. Historically, footbathing with antibiotics was commonly done. This is now illegal and, in today’s climate of antimicrobial resistance issues, is not something that we can advocate. Instead, we suggest targeting the animals with lesions. Clean the lesion with dilute chlorhexidine (Hibiscrub); rinse and dry well. Then spray with a licensed product such as Cyclospray (Oxytetracycline) or Taf Spray (Thiamphenicol). Deep-seated infections may warrant a course of injectable antibiotics.
On a herd level, it is crucial to keep the feet clean. Along with controlling the level of slurry, REGULAR cleaning with one of many products which work on foot hygiene and condition. We like Intra Hoof-Fit spray which can be installed in your parlour and sprayed individually sprayed on each animal, thereby avoiding the issues of contamination which you may come across using a foot bath. If you do choose to footbath, it is important to choose an
effective disinfectant such as Copper Sulphate,
Glutaraldehyde or Formalin. It must be done regularly and
it is crucial that the foot bath is changed regularly in order
to reduce the chance of contamination. Done badly,
footbathing can be a disaster. Done well, it can be a great
tool to help you in the fight against Digi.
Finally, you need to monitor the progress of the disease
levels on farm. Again, we can do that for you if you so wish.
Sally
FOOTBATHING DOS AND DON’TS
FOOTBATHING D0S AND DON’TS :
USE EFFECTIVE DISINFECTANT Formalin; Gluteraldehyde; Copper Sulphate NOT parlour washings or plain water
NOT TOO MANY COWS THROUGH THE BATH. Common sense should prevail here. When the solution looks dirty, it probably is dirty so will need changing. Putting more cows through a dirty bath will spread infection rather than reduce it.
ENSURE THE FOOTBATH IS LONG ENOUGH AND DEEP ENOUGH The solution needs to come above the coronet band (100mm) and each cow needs to take 3-4 steps in the solution.
TIPS ON CONTROL OF DIGITAL DERMATITIS
Early Detection and treatment
This is the same with all lameness issues– the quicker it is picked up and dealt with, the better. Ensure that feet are lifted, cleaned and kept as dry as possible. Reduce slurry Cows lying contentedly in a clean bed are cows which are not standing in slurry and therefore not exposed to digi bugs. Stocking density is therefore key here. Hygiene and keeping feet dry are other essential points to consider. Biosecurity There are many different types of digital dermatitis and, once you get them on your farm, it is almost impossible to get rid of them. So, buying infected cattle is a good way to increase the types and levels of digi on your farm
NOTE : PRODUCT CHANGE. To prevent a price-rise, we will shortly
be replacing Alamycin Aero with Cyclospray. Be aware that Cyclospray is a larger can but, ml for ml, the price will remain the same.
March 2018
Calf Scour
Vaccination update
Some points to Remember– this info can never
be hammered home hard enough!
Colostrum is THE most important start for a calf. It
provides nutrition, fluid and antibodies all in one.
Newborn calves need at least 3 litres of colostrum
within 6 hours of birth. Use a refractometer to check
the colostrum is good quality before feeding.
It may be beneficial to feed colostrum for a few days
after the initial feed. After being absorbed into the
blood in the first 6 hours of life, colostral antibodies
also provide a protective coating over the gut lining to
prevent bacteria and viruses entering the system.
Vaccinate at drying off so the dam produces
antibodies to specifically protect against the main
scour bugs.
This will give the
calf protection
against Rotavirus,
Coronavirus and E. coli K99 -
the key causes of
infectious scour.
Scour pastes do not
provide enough
antibodies. If you are short
of colostrum, Alta’s Calf’s
Choice is an example of a
good replacer but remember, nothing is as good as
the real McCoy.
Most scour bugs come from cow faeces, so hygiene,
hygiene, hygiene is key here, significantly reducing
the risk of disease.
Where Crypto is diagnosed, Halocur can help with
prevention of disease in future calves in conjunction
with sound hygiene management. Sally
ROTAVIRUS VACCINE = BOVIGEN UPDATE
Many of you have been using Rotavec as a starter dose and then using the cheaper Bovigen for boosters in the cows. The good news is that Bovigen is now licensed to be used as a one dose starter vaccine enabling you to use Bovigen across all your youngstock and adults in the most convenient and cost-effective way. The bad news is that, along with the additional licensing of Bovigen comes a price increase. But it still works out the cheapest way to effectively cover your calves against Rotavirus, Coronavirus and E.coli so make the change today!
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