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Over 80% of sheep flocks are affected by lameness and within the flock the incidence is believed to run at between 10%-20%.

Many cases can go unnoticed and remain untreated, especially in geographically remote upland flocks. Foot problems in lambs can significantly impede mobility and grazing and lead to inadequate nutritional intake and trace element deficiencies.

Footbath solutions up to now have centred around the use of copper, zinc or formalin type ingredients.

Formalin is known to harden the hoof and is also carcinogenic. Chronic inhalation of its fumes must be avoided.

Copper is environmentally toxic and is hazardous to sheep, plants and herbage. Both can be adversely affected by the presence of organic matter in high concentrations.

Antibiotics such as lincomycin, spectinomycin, amoxicillin and tylosin, have also been used for treatment, and Oxytetracycline sprays have been used for local application. In the current climate around antimicrobial resistance, the needless or routine use of antibiotics is to be discouraged and especially the use of sprays which can be regularly inhaled. Alternative safe and effective footbath solutions should be used where possible.

Provita Animal Health has developed Hoofsure Endurance footbath solution which is a propriety blend of organics acids, essential oils and wetting agents.

This combination displays impressive powers of skin and lesion penetration, high activity in the presence of dirt and organic matter, and crucially a prolonged adhesion and prolonged contact time.

It is effective against a wide range of organisms including anaerobes and treponema. One of the problems in dealing with antibiotic resistant organisms, is the formation of a protective biofilm by bacteria. This slime type of membrane acts as a defensive shield protecting the organisms against chemotherapeutic agents.

In a trial to compare the efficacy of Hoofsure Konquest Gel to Oxytetracycline spray in 284 bovine cases, cure rates from the antibiotic spray and Hoofsure Konquest Gel ranged from 66% to 76%, and there was no statistical difference between the efficacy of two treatments. Hence Hoofsure Konquest has the potential to reduce antibiotic usage as a treatment for lameness problems.

A recent independent study showed that 65% of sheep with feet problems showed improvement after one pass through a footbath containing Hoofsure Endurance at 2% (in-house data).

It has also been shown to have a quicker kill rate than copper and formalin and is more effective in the presence of organic matter.

In vitro studies at Queen’s University Belfast comparing microbiological efficacy of TTO/organic acids, against formalin and copper sulphate, showed that TTO/organic acids (Hoofsure) was more potent than either copper or formalin against bacteria, had a quicker onset of action, and was much more effective in the presence of organic matter.

For more information and seasonal offers, please email info@provita.co.uk or freephone 0800 328 4982.