Many dairy producers rely on footbath programs to help prevent and control active and chronic infectious claw lesions, such as digital dermatitis (DD), in their herds. Maximizing the effectiveness of a footbath program hinges on three key factors: foot hygiene, proper footbath design (size, length and depth) and effective footbath management (chemical concentration, cow passes per change and frequency of use).

In the U.S., even on well-managed dairies, there’s a good chance that digital dermatitis (DD) is present. It is highly contagious and if left unchecked can cause painful ulcerations that often lead to lameness. Common practices for controlling DD have been limited to footbaths and topical treatment of severe lesions with no clearly established guidelines for optimal management.