This post is also available in: French Spanish Greek Hungarian Italian Turkish

Design and strategy of the hoof bath

Solution name: Design and strategy of the hoof bath

Aim: To control the incidence of lameness

Description:

Key Points for the Treatment of Footrot

Topic: Health

Production:  Dairy/Meat

Animal Category: Ewe/Replacement

Issue: Lameness

Level of Solution:  Practical

Country: Spain

How to implement

Design of a footbath, consisting of 3 pools of 1.5 m long, with a striped floor so that the hoof opens up and comes into contact with the product when stepping on it: in the 1st pool with soapy water, and in the 2nd and 3rd with a disinfectant solution, formalin or copper sulfate. The 3 pools must have a drain plug.

Expected benefits
  • Control and reduce the incidence of lameness
  • Increased production in adult animals, increased fertility, increased average daily gain in lambs.
  • Reduced costs, treatments and labour

Cost Benefit analysis

A footrot control plan using hoof baths generates costs of around €2 per ewe, corresponding to labour (for construction just on the first year), water and disinfectant costs, but the benefits in a flock of 300 ewes can be assessed around 2800 € if it is for meat production (due to an increase of the number of lambs sold, which may also be achieved in a shorter period of time) and in 8200€, if it is a dairy flock (due to the profit corresponding to the increase of lambs sold, and litters of milk produced).

Sustainability analysis

This solution generates a positive impact in terms of higher intake and efficiency in feed consumption and better grazing management, due to the reduction of lameness. However, it requires the use of more water and disinfectants, which implies the generation of waste from disinfectant containers. In terms of biodiversity, we consider that there may be an improvement due to the reduction of the presence of pathogens.
The lower incidence of footrot and lameness on the farm involves lower labour needs, and greater peace of mind for the farmer. In addition to the improvement of the image of the sector, and the overall benefit of reducing the use of antibiotics and analgesics, perfectly aligned with the “One Health” strategy.

Prerequisites and/or limits
  • Hoof bath
  • Maintain the hoof bath product in hygienic conditions
Information Sources / Useful links

none

This post is also available in: French Spanish Greek Hungarian Italian Turkish