What is Cattle Foot Rot?
Cattle Foot Rot is a disease that can affect cloven-hoofed mammals. The main issues Foot Rot causes are inflammation and the potential to cause lameness, with approximately 20% of lameness in all cattle attributed to Foot Rot.
Cattle that become infected stand to have a lower average daily gain of close to half a pound. With this decrease in your cattle’s growth, it’s easy to see that this infection must be dealt with quickly and effectively.
What Are The Causes Of Foot Rot
The most common cause of Foot Rot is bacteria found in the local environment, which then transfers to healthy feet, faeces, and the rumen of Cattle. The bacteria that causes Foot Rot will begin to wreak havoc on your Cattle if they become injured. Injuries can happen during a walkover on rough surfaces or when your Cattle is standing in damp, wet and muddy conditions.
As the animal’s foot tissue becomes weaker due to injury, the bacteria has a chance to set in and can also occur naturally between wet and dry conditions when skin can become chapped or cracked. It’s worth noting that Cattle Foot Rot is not currently considered contagious.
What Are The Symptoms?
The following symptoms will be present:
– Extreme Pain and Lameness
– Elevated temperature of the body
– Swelling of tissues found around the cattle’s hairline/hoof
– Wider separation of the claws caused by the swelling
– Foul odour and Necrotic Lesions
– Loss of appetite
Other foot issues common to Cattle have similar symptoms to those listed above. An example of this is Digital Dermatitis (or Hairy Heel Wart) which is easily mistaken as Foot Rot when Cattle become lame. Digital Dermatitis only affects the skin that covers the Heel Bulb area and can spread up to the dew-claw area. It is not known to produce a foul odour like Foot Rot and is generally more centralized and contagious.
How To Successfully Treat Foot Rot
Once Foot Rot has been diagnosed correctly, you can begin treatment. It is more successful when treatment is started towards the beginning of the infection. The best solution to prevent and/or cure Foot Rot in cattle is to use CZF Plus, CZ Hoof Care Plus, and CZ Hoof Cream.
