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

Authors

  • S. Ordaz Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota
  • E. Shepley Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
  • A. Rendahl Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108
  • D. Dopfer Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, 53597
  • K. Anklam Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, 53597
  • G. Cramer Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro20228679

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.

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Published

2023-07-17