The importance of foot bathing cows correctly

• Cow flow through the foot bath should be smooth. Ideally, the foot bath should be positioned near the milking parlour exit.
• The foot bath should not have any steps up or down, i.e., the bottom of the foot bath should be level with the walking passage.
• A foot bath of 3m in length and a width of 850 mm works very well for herds of up to 250 cows. Herds larger than 250 cows should have a foot bath width of at least 2m, for better cow flow. Solution depth should be 100-125mm.
• So if your footbath is 3m long, 850mm wide and has a solution depth of 100mm, your volume is 3m x 0.85m x .1= 255m³, (to convert m³ to litres, multiply by 1000) x1000= 255L.
• A good rule of thumb is to allow one cow passage per litre of solution before changing. So if you have a 200 cow herd, you need a minimum of 200L of solution to foot bath the whole herd at once.
• Consult your vet about which foot bathing solution is best for your herd. Options include formalin, copper sulphate or other commercial products containing peracetic or organic acids. Antibiotics are not licensed for use in foot baths.

Use correct concentration of reagent. This requires you to know volume of footbath

The frequency with which cows need to be foot bathed depends on the prevalence and severity of the disease withing the herd. Herds with a high prevalence of mortellaro, could need foot bathing after every milking until the disease is under control.  It is best to consult with your vet to determine the best routine for your herd.  ‘Flare ups’ are common when there is a break in foot bathing or where it is only used in the face of an outbreak.

Foot bathing is not a substitute for the other important management practices that prevent lameness and is only part of a larger lameness management plan. It is worth noting that, if foot bathing is not done correctly, it will be completely ineffective at best, or at worst may actually contribute to the spread of disease.