Cost-effective, non-antibiotic footbaths have had success in treating digital dermatitis, but need to be used intensively. Non-antibiotic footbaths can be an effective method of controlling chronic digital dermatitis in some dairy herds. According toa new MDC-funded report produced by Dr Richard Laven at ADAS Bridgets, non-antibiotic footbaths can offer a cost effective alternative to antibiotics. Recent surveys indicate that around 70 percent of herds in the UK have problems with digital dermatitis and that it accounts for about a quarter of all cases of dairy cow lameness. Digital dermatitis typically affects the skin on the bulbs of the heel, but there are signs that it can also affect the skin between the digits and around the coronary band. Even mild cases can cause skin damage and affect performance when the cow is not obviously lame. Left untreated it can persist for months and poses a major economic and animal welfare problem.
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