foot rot | Ag Proud

Foot issues are not always as they appear

Correctly diagnosing foot rot, digital dermatitis and other causes of lameness is crucial in making a treatment plan and getting cattle back to their most productive selves.

August 16, 2024

Zeb Gray

Anybody who has raised cattle for any length of time has probably had to deal with lame cattle. The odds are great that the animal was either suffering from foot rot or a physical injury to the leg or foot.

Identifying lameness can be part of everyone’s job description

Identifying early stages of lameness becomes second nature once learned, and severe cases can be eradicated from your operation if anyone can observe it during day-to-day tasks.

December 14, 2023

Roger Olson

We can all agree that a lame cow takes advantage of valuable time and money. When a cow becomes lame, additional internal inflammation occurs – diverting energy away from reproductive success and milk output.

Are salt blocks a barrier to your herd’s productivity?

Salt is an essential nutrient for your cow herd. But relying on salt blocks – even those with trace minerals included – to provide all the nutrients your cattle need is likely a mistake.

November 9, 2023

Chris Ashworth

Cattle have a requirement and desire for salt, but many producers have been misled to believe that salt blocks, especially trace mineral salt blocks, provide adequate trace mineral.

Practical footbath designs for any farm

Consider these do's and don’ts when designing an effective footbath for the dairy herd.

October 16, 2023

Karl Burgi and Roger Olson

Footbaths have been used for over 25 years for the control of infectious hoof diseases. In drawing on years of consulting with farms all over the globe, there are do's and don’ts to consider when designing a footbath and implementing practical protocols.

Three contributing factors to bovine lameness

Lameness – the second-most costly animal health issue in the beef industry – has three major contributing factors: nutrition, genetics and environment.

September 5, 2023

Lacey Fahrmeier

When lameness issues arise, there are many things we can do as producers, and veterinarians, to help these animals recover and get back to a high level of performance.

Managing beef cattle hoof health

Taking a proactive, nutrition-based approach can greatly enhance your herd’s ability to combat the pathogens that cause foot rot and digital dermatitis.

March 30, 2023

Dwight Kickhafer

Hoof health impacts every aspect of your beef herd’s profitability. Managing for hoof health through environmental challenges and seasonal change is critical for your cattle to achieve lifetime performance.

Beefing up against bad feet

October 25, 2021

Tyler Melroe

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, the potential for hoof injuries and infections exists in all types of environments. Producers’ “beef” with this is understandable.