Evaluating the efficacy of two footbath concentrates to control digital dermatitis in freestall dairy cows using a non-inferiority study

Abstract

Digital dermatitis (DD), an infectious hoof lesion, is prevalent in U.S. dairies and compromises cow health, welfare and profit­ability. Footbaths are the main form of DD prevention and con­trol. Understanding the comparative efficacies among commer­cial footbath products in preventing and controlling DD cases within a herd is necessary to provide farms with the informa­tion required when selecting a product for use. Digital derma­titis (DD), an infectious hoof lesion, is prevalent in U.S. dairies and can rapidly become endemic to a herd if not proactively controlled, compromising cow health, welfare and profitabil­ity. Footbaths are the main form of DD prevention and control. Understanding the comparative efficacies among commercial footbath products in preventing and controlling DD cases with­in a herd is necessary to provide farms with the information re­quired when selecting a product for use. Our primary objective was to determine if a commercial footbath concentrate (Heal­max®) was non-inferior to a copper sulfate concentrate in the prevention of new cases of digital dermatitis (DD). As a second­ary objective, we sought to investigate the comparative effica­cies of the 2 products in the control of chronic DD cases.