Digital dermatitis, or hairy heel wart, is a widespread and prevalent disease among beef and dairy cattle which can have long term and severe impacts on herd health and productivity. This is a condition that dairy farmers cannot ignore and hope that it goes away. In an October 2015 articleby Maggie Seiler, Special Publications Editor for […]
Heifers shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to hoof care treatment. An article from Jane Fyksen helps drive home the message that heifers are at as much risk as milking cows for digital dermatitis (hairy heel wart). In a May interview, hoof health consultant Karl Burgi said that timed trimming in heifers, prior to calving, can go a […]
Lameness can cost a dairy farmer up to $6,000 per 100 cows per year. For an individual cow, it may cost as much as $350 in lost milk, more days open, treatment and labor. In order to better understand the correlation between certain behaviors and lameness, researchers at the University of Guelph examined the activity and production of […]
As the summer heat wave rolls in, some producers may be thinking about installing a footbath to better manage hoof health. If you’re ready to take the plunge, here are some general guidelines for installing and maintaining a footbath on your dairy farm: Footbath Placement: Many veterinarians suggest putting the footbath in a well-lit, ventilated […]
“Should we run a treatment protocol? Or a maintenance protocol?” That’s a question hoof trimmers hear a lot. To answer it, we first need determine exactly which hoof issues are present. Are we dealing with claw horn lesions? Infections? Hairy heel wart? Second, we determine the prevalence of hoof problems in the entire herd. If the […]
Hoof care specialists recommend footbathsbecause they provide consistent and thorough treatment of the entire hoof. However, accurate measuring and mixing of chemicals is critical. Even minor mistakes can result in footbaths which are ineffective or even harmful. When footbaths fail, human error is often to blame. Footbath dosing systems minimize human error and labor associated with […]
Dairy producers today know the importance of using footbath additives correctly to achieve best results from their hoof health program. Here is a sample program using the HoofMax additive from AgroChem for copper and zinc sulfate footbaths for best results . 3 Easy Steps For Best Results When Using HoofMax Measurements and simple math calculations are all that is needed. Once […]
Hairy Heel Wart, (Digital Dermatitis), a condition well-known to dairy producers, is quickly becoming an issue for beef producers as well. According to Dr. Jan Shearer, ISU Extension Veterinarian at Iowa State University, there has been an increase in incidence of DD, causing a significant problem for the beef industry. Digital Dermatitis causes heel erosion and eats […]
Copper sulfate is a staple on many dairy operations these days, thanks to its efficacy in treating and preventing hoof health problems. Copper sulfate is bacteriostatic, binding to and neutralizing pathogens in organic matter that can cause digital dermatitis and other problems. After 150 cow passes or so, the used solution is traditionally mixed with manure waste […]
The multiple challenges of fighting the “good fight” against infectious hoof disease can make it tough to gauge the real extent of lameness in your dairy herd. They can also inadvertently lead to some cows being retreated for the same stubborn hoof lesion at every trimming, while others who may need it go untreated. Noted […]
