Comparison of footbathing treatments for ovine footrot using formalin or zinc sulphate


Skerman TM, Green RS, Hughes JM, Herceg M
New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 31, Issue 6, pp 91-95, Jun 1983
New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 31, Issue 6, pp 91-95, Jun 1983
Article class: Scientific Article
Subject Terms: Bacterial, Disease/defect, Hoof/claw, Infectious disease, Limb - lower, Locomotor, Minerals/elememts, Trace elements, Treatment/therapy
Animal Type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Publisher: Taylor and FrancisAbstract
A field trial was carried out to compare 3 topical treatments for ovine footrot. They were preliminary hoof paring with weekly footbathing either in 10% formalin, or in 10% zinc sulphate + 0.2% anionic surfactant (`Teepol`), or twice-weekly footbathing in the same zinc sulphate-surfactant mixture without hoof paring. Control sheep were not treated. Within 21 days, the number and severity of active lesions of footscald and footrot among treated sheep were substantially reduced by comparison with the controls; no significant differences were ohserved between treatments. Treatment effects were also comparable against mild footrot infection of the sole or heel region, hut in the more advanced lesions the healing response to paring and zinc footbathing was superior to that from paring and formalin footbathing (P<0.01). Twice-weekly foothathing in zinc-surfactant solution was effective in preventing new footrot infection. No chronic toxic effects attributable to zinc suluhate at a concentration of 10% were demonstrable in the hoof integument either clinically or histologically.The whole of the literary matter of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal is copyright Taylor and Francis, Downloading this article signifies agreement with the terms and conditions of electronic access.