Control of bovine digital dermatitis in a dairy herd: a herd case report

Abstract

Digital dermatitis (DD) is an infectious disease of cattle causing lameness and economic losses. The control of DD is based on the treatment of the active lesions and the use of collective foot bathing; however, in the field conditions, the control of this disease could be difficult. This herd-level case report describes the experience made in a commercial dairy herd controlling the DD. Eighty Canadian Holstein milking cows were present in this herd. The management of the DD in the farm was evaluated through an interview of the farmer, regarding the management of the DD in the farm and the assessment of the prevalence. The prevalence of DD was estimated using the direct observation of the heel bulbs of the hind limbs in the milking parlor. This assessment shows the presence of a high prevalence of active DD lesions in the farm (68%). Moreover, the interview with the farmer and the herd visit indicated the presence of an inadequate measure of the footbath, inadequate frequency of use, and inadequate concentration of the disinfectants in the solution used to control DD, as well as the absence of regular hoof trimming. A plan to control the DD was implemented based on the treatment of the active lesions in the milking parlor using the chlortetracycline spray for three days. In addition, one more rational use of the footbath (increment of the dimension of the footbath, use of the 10% Cu₂SO₄ solution be-weekly as a disinfectant in the footbath) was applied. At the follow-up made through a monthly assessment in the milking parlor, the inactivation of the DD lesions, as well as after the reduction of the prevalence of these lesions, was shown. Because of this inactivation of the DD lesions and the reduction of their prevalence (from the 64.4% to 34.0%), the concentration of the Cu₂SO₄ in the footbathing solution was reduced from 10% to 5%. In a second moment, also the frequency of foot bathing was reduced weekly at once. This experience performed on the herd level confirms that the control of the DD is based on the early treatment of the active lesions and rational use of foot bathing, based on the adequate dimension of the footbath, an adequate concentration of the disinfectant in the solution used and adequate frequency of the foot bathing.