Zactran® Eliminates Footrot

Gamithromycin (Zactran®) is macrolide antibiotic licensed for cattle in the treatment and control of bovine respiratory disease. It is not approved for sheep (or goats); however, it may be prescribed by a veterinary for extra-label use.

Foot rot is caused by the anaerobic bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus. D. nodosus does not survive for long in the environment, so the main reservoir of infection is in the animals. In theory, foot rot can be eliminated from a flock, through a combination of vaccination and/or antibacterial treatment (parenteral or topical) and/or culling of infected animals, coupled with good biosecurity.

In a German flock with a high prevalence of foot rot, 184 sheep were given the standard dose of Zactran® (6 mg/kg). The injection was given subcutaneously in the axilla. On day 23, 19 sheep were re-treated with Zactran®. On day 45, no lame sheep or positive lesion scores were observed.

In a Danish study, 48 flocks comprising around 9000 sheep were given the standard dose of Zactran®, subcutaneously on the side of the neck. Of the 48 participating flocks, 44 remained free of foot rot and D. nodosus more than one year later

The results from both studies showed that whole-flock, systemic antibiotic treatment can eliminate foot rot and D.  nodosus. In the Danish study, a single treatment with gamithromycin was sufficient. In the German flock, two treatments at an interval of 22 days were required to eliminate foot rot in some sheep.

Source:  Short Communication, Veterinary Record, January 2014

New Product: Electric Hoof Knife

The Electric Hoof Knife is the newest and most innovative tool available for trimming goat and sheep hooves. Designed to improve hoof health and make trimming hassle-free, the Electric Hoof Knife is a power tool that buffs instead of cuts to remove hoof material.

After eight years of development, the Electric Hoof Knife now has a disc created specifically for trimming goat and sheep hooves. This lightweight tool is easy to maneuver and can trim tough and overgrown hooves with little effort on part of the user. People who have limited access to electrical power can easily run the Electric Hoof Knife off of a generator or an automobile’s DC/AC power converter, so the tool is accessible anywhere, anytime.

The Electric Hoof Knife Goat & Sheep set, which retails for $254.95, comes with the Electric Hoof Knife power unit, two Goat & Sheep Trimming discs, a pair of safety glasses, and a carrying case.

For more information, or to watch videos of the Electric Hoof Knife in action, visit www.ElectricHoofKnife.com or call (877) 320-8203.

A different approach to footrot

According to British researchers, traditional methods of footrot control have not been very effective (in the UK) and gathering, foot bathing, and foot trimming increases the transmission of the bacteria that causes footrot (Dichelobacter nodosus).

The University of Warwick conducted a study in which they compared the methods of treating footrot. Their research showed that PROMPT treatment of infected sheep with a long-acting antibiotic, used in conjunction with an antibiotic foot spray, was the most effective treatment and that trimming of the hoof at any stage slowed down the healing process.

The Warwick study used 1 ml of long-acting oxytetracyline per 10 kg (22 lbs) of body weight. According to the researchers, the antibiotic injection helps the sheep’s immune system fight the infection and reduces the swelling and pain that make the sheep lame. This allows the hoof to heal and the foot conformation to return to normal.

When trimming a swollen infected foot, live tissue can get damaged, causing more damage to the hoof. In their study, less than 30% of infected sheep that had their feet trimmed recovered within 10 days vs. 90% of those treated with an antibiotic.

Watch this YouTube video to learn more.

Participating flocks needed

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension received a multi-year grant from Northeast SARE in 2010 for an applied research project to Eliminate the Effects of Footrot in Sheep Flocks in the Northeast. So far, we  have gathered data from over 750 sheep from eleven farms in the region. The protocol developed for the research project to eliminate footrot has proven to be immediately applicable to participating farms.

In 2012, the research project will focus on specific sheep breeds (Katahdin, Merino, and Rambouillet) to help us determine a possible genetic connection. We are seeking sheep producers within the 12-state region (ME, NH, VT, CT, MA. RI, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD and WV) with flocks of Katahdin, Merino, and/or Rambouillet sheep with a history of footrot and lameness. We seek farms that have sheep within the flock that include individual sheep with footrot and individual sheep that are not affected by footrot.

Dr. Richard Brzozowski, University of Maine

Participating farms agree to follow a 28-day protocol under the direction of the research team to eliminate the disease from the farm. The research team makes at least two visits to each farm to trim and score the feet of each sheep, collect data, and teach the shepherd how to trim and score feet. Supplies and tools are provided to each participating farm. All information is confidential. For more information about the research project and the protocol see the project website http://umaine.edu/sheep/.

If you are interested in participating in this applied research project this spring, summer or fall, please submit an application as soon as possible. The application might take 5 minutes to complete. The application can be found at this link http://umaine.edu/sheep/apply/.

Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.

Richard Brzozowski
Principle Investigator
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
(207) 781-6099
richard.brzozowski@maine.edu

Foot health webinar series

Two one-hour webinars (parts 1 and 2) will teach beginner and experienced sheep and goat producers the cause of footrot in sheep and goats, the conditions that promote the disease, how to prevent foot diseases with effective biosecurity, how to treat footrot, how to effectively trim hooves, and the specific protocol to eliminate the disease from farms.

Dick Brzozowski demonstrates proper hoof trimming technique.

The webinars will also explain genetic markers that could identify sheep that are naturally resistant to the disease. Presenters will be Susan Schoenian from University of Maryland Extension and Dr. Richard Brzozowski from the University of Maine

February 21 and 28, 2012
7:00 to 8:00 PM

Registration is required. Both webinars are free. The webinars are a part of the Sheep Foot Health Research & Education Project funded by Northeast SARE.

Register for Foot Health Webinar – Part 1
Register for Foot Health Webinar – Part 2

Test your knowledge of hooves

Take this online quiz to test your knowledge of sheep and goat hoof care and diseases.

Hoof care and health is an important aspect of sheep and goat production.  Do you know the difference between footrot and foot scald?  Do you know how to eradicate footrot from your farm.

Hoof health and diseases quiz
Other online quizzes

Organic zinc increases hoof hardness

British scientists conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of replacing ZnO with Bioplex® Zn on performance of pregnant ewes and their lambs.

Twin-bearing Suffolk cross North Country Mule ewes (33 in experiment one and 48 in experiment two)  and their lambs were used in the experiments.

According to the scientists, "There were no significant effects of supplementing the control diet with 50mg Zn/kg DM on ewe live weight change, lamb birth weight, weaning weight or growth rate, regardless of zinc source.”

In the second experiment, hoof hardness at lambing was significantly greater in ewes receiving the Bioplex® zinc diet compared to those fed either the control or ZnO diets.

Previous studies with dairy cows and sheep have demonstrated a beneficial effect of replacing inorganic Zn supplements with an organic source of Zn on performance and udder health.

Source: Animal Bytes

Hoof trimming video

As part of their SARE-funded Sheep Foot Health Project, the University of Maine has created a video on hoof trimming. The video is equally applicable to either sheep or goats.

In addition to demonstrating proper hoof trimming techniques, the video provides information about foot rot, a highly contagious disease that can affect the hooves of susceptible sheep and goats.

Image from video

Dr. Richard Brzozowski, University of Maine Extension Educator and lead investigator for the foot health project, demonstrates and discusses hoof trimming and foot rot in the 8:35 minute (edited) video.

The video can be accessed from the University of Maine Sheep Foot Health Project web site at http://umaine.edu/sheep/foot-rot/. The video may also be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ar7D-GARhI.

The purpose of the sheep foot health project is to help Northeast sheep producers eliminate foot rot from their flocks. The project includes cooperators in multiple states, including Maryland. The investigators are seeking funding to expand the project to goats.

Sheep Foot Health Project

Foot health survey for goat producers

Dear goat producer,

There is currently underway an applied research study on sheep foot health. I am planning to submit a proposal to Northeast SARE to expand this project to goat producers. I would appreciate your feedback on goat food health by completing a short online survey. I estimate the survey will take less than 5 minutes to complete.

Please go to this link and complete the survey before Wednesday, July 27, 2011:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R2KMW9Y

Thank you.

Richard J. Brzozowski
University of Maine

Rid your sheep of foot rot

The University of Maine is leading a Sheep Foot Health Project, whereby participating sheep producers receive assistance in eliminating foot rot from their flocks.  The project is grant-funded by Northeast SARE.

Lameness is a sign of foot rot.

The research team will be in Maryland on August 17 and is looking for sheep producers to work with. Farms should be located in Maryland or counties that border Maryland.

If you are experiencing hoof problems with your animals now (or in the past) and would like to participate in the project, please contact me at (301)432-2767 x343 or sschoen@umd.edu.

If you have foot rot in your flock, this will be a great opportunity to rid your farm of this insidious disease. Participation in the foot health project will be kept completely confidential.

To learn more about the Sheep Foot Health Project, visit the web site at http://extension.umaine.edu/sheep/.

Do your sheep have footrot?

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is partnering with other Northeast states to recruit sheep flocks for a new SARE¹-funded Sheep Foot Health Project.The purpose of the project is to help producers eliminate footrot from their flocks and keep it from reoccurring.

Visit the Sheep Foot Health Project web site at http://umaine.edu/sheep to learn more about the project and the benefits and requirements of flock participation.

An application packet is available on the web site.  All information submitted by participants about their flock and farm will be held in strict confidence.

Though only a limited number of sheep flocks can be active participants in the project, all sheep and goat producers will benefit from the educational programs and materials that the Sheep Foot Health Project will generate in the next several years.

Footrot is one of the most insidious diseases affecting sheep and goats.  It is both preventable and curable. It presents itself as lame animals, animals that kneel to graze, or animals with hoof separation.

¹ Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

Sheep Footrot Health Research & Education Project
Apply to participate in the Sheep Foot Health Project
Maryland Small Ruminant Foot Health Page