Abstract
Digital dermatitis is one of the main causes of lameness in dairy cattle, possibly accounting for 25% of the reported cases of lameness (Watson, 1999). With lameness being attributed to reduced milk yields and increased calving intervals there are considerable economic implications and effective treatment and prevention regimes are essential. Topical antibiotic treatment is the most common method of treating digital dermatitis in the UK although there is currently only one product licensed for use (Terramycin spray, Pfizer Animal Health) which contains oxytetracycline. Although effective, there can be various problems (e.g. antibiotic resistance) associated with using antibiotics for the management of digital dermatitis meaning that a suitable prevention regime that uses a non-antibiotic solution instead would be desirable. One possible alternative is sodium chloride solution (salt water) which is hypertonic and would therefore cause the bacterial cells to dehydrate, inhibiting cell growth and multiplication. This trial aimed to investigate the effect of topical application of either oxytetracycline or sodium chloride solution on the pre-washed rear feet of cows for the prevention/treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle.
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