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Installation of a foot bath to prevent claw disorders

The economic importance of claw disorders is considerable, especially with a milking robot:  milk production, fertility and visiting behaviour to the robot will deteriorate as a result of such disorders. Claw problems such as Digital Dermatitis also have a negative impact on animal wellbeing. To improve claw health, the use of foot baths is recommended. Various types of foot baths are available. The foot bath with a sponge is preferred due to two major advantages: firstly, it keeps cows from slipping, which increases the cows’ willingness to go easily through the foot bath. Secondly, the sponge minimizes the effect of liquid loss of the foot bath when the cow enters.

When setting up the foot bath there are two preferred positions:

1.         A temporarily foot bath positioned behind the robot exit. This is easy and every cow will go through it, but you will see fewer visits to the robot.

2.         A temporarily foot bath positioned at a logic position in the barn when driving the cows calmly through. This option also disturbs the cow traffic.

To improve claw health and to minimize claw disorders, regular application of foot baths is necessary. Depending on the claw health of the herd, it is recommended to use a foot bath at least once every one or two weeks. It is important that the foot bath be refreshed after 100 cows (or after 12 hours). In addition, it should be considered that timely corrective trimming of the herd is important to prevent serious claw problems and to maintain a good flow of cows through the robot!

Foot bath

Where and which
A permanent foot bath that you only fill up once in a while is good for the peace and quiet of the herd. Unfortunately, a permanent foot bath is difficult to empty and to clean. If you are not careful, your foot bath changes into an infection bath. A temporarily foot bath behind the robot is more easy to place and clean, but decreases the cow flow through the robot by 0.5 visits per cow per day (depending on the quality of the foot bath). Temporarily foot baths placed in the barn cause less stress for cow visits but are more time-consuming, since the cows have to be guided through the bath. The choice of the most favourable option for the farmer depends on the structure of the farm, herd behaviour as well as the type of farmer.

Size and depth of the foot bath
For an effective application of claw health products, the size and depth of the foot bath are important. The depth should at least be 15 centimetres to make sure the claws penetrate deeply enough into the fluid. A minimum length of 3 m is required to enable complete passage of the cow. The width depends on the placement of the bath; it is crucial that the cows do not have the possibility to escape.

Which products?

It is difficult to establish an effective treatment product for foot baths and you can select different products.

1. Copper-sulphate was a commonly used product to strengthen the claw horn. Due to environmental issues, it is prohibited by governmental legislation in many countries. Copper-sulphate should be concentrated at 5-10% (10-12 kg per 200 litres bath).

2. Currently, formalin is effectively used for prevention as well as for treatment of Digital Dermatitis problems, but for this product, too, discussions about banning are happening. Formalin only functions at a temperature above 17 degrees Celsius. This means that formalin quite often has to warm up on the claw to be effective. A solution of 40% formaldehyde can be used in a 3-5% concentration (5-6 liter/200 litres bath).

3. A mixture of copper-sulphate and formalin is also considered to be quite effective (5% copper sulphate, 2.5% formalin).

4. Plain regular salt is also used to clean the claws and because bacteria are averse to salt, cattle farmers also consider this to have a positive effect. An 8% solution is advised (15 kg in a 200 litres bath). A negative effect of salt is that it softens the claw if applied too regularly.

After the foot bath: a clean surface!
It is very important that cows walk on a clean surface after every foot bath. Effectiveness is best guaranteed by keeping cows from getting into contact with manure immediately after the foot bath. It is also important that you apply the correct concentrations. If a foot bath is too strongly concentrated, the effect of the food bath on the cow flow is bound to deteriorate.

Final conclusion: food baths are not good for the cow flow, but necessary with a view to a good claw condition. Therefore, once in a while you sacrifice some cow traffic to an improvement of claw health.