Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

Footrot in Cattle: Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Description and Cause

A common condition that often necessitates the use of antibiotics in cattle is "footrot" or what is medically termed interdigital phlegmon. It is an infection of the soft tissue between the claws (digits) of the feet and is caused by an anaerobic bacteria (these are bacteria that grow in the absence of oxygen), called Fusobacterium necrophorum. It usually occurs in combination with other bacteria such as Bacteroides melaninogenicus, another anerobe.

There are a number of different strains of F. necrophorum which can be found in the environment and within the manure of cattle. Some strains do not appear to be harmful but two (Biotype A and AB) have been confirmed to cause foot rot. It is not clear whether all cattle carry these harmful strains. The history on some farms suggests footrot may have been introduced when new cattle were brought in. The bacteria can last for many months in the soil. Once these bacteria invade the skin of the foot, they rapidly cause the condition we recognize as footrot. Injury or damage to the skin between the claws allows this invasion to occur. Common factors that can cause damage of this sort include:

• Stubble fields,
• Small rocks and pebbles,
• Abrasive surfaces.

Additionally, high temperatures and excess moisture or humidity causes the skin between the claws to chap and crack allowing these bacteria to invade. Wet conditions, heat and flooding can therefore predispose cattle to footrot.

Signs of the Disease

The appearance of footrot is fairly typical and begins as a swelling of the skin between the claws. This swelling usually begins within 24 hours of the onset of the infection. The toes become separated due to the swelling and the skin appears reddened. The foot is very painful and the animal can be quite lame at this time. A fissure or crack develops along the swollen area for part or all of the length of the interdigital space (space between the claws). Yellow to grayish tissue extends from this crack and the lesion has a characteristic foul odor. The area around the coronary band can be swollen and red. Affected cattle can have a mild fever, refuse feed, lose weight, and be mildly to severely lame. Also, it is common for affected cattle to lose a considerable amount of weight during a bout with footrot. If the footrot lesion does not heal satisfactorily, very serious problems can develop. The structures just beneath the skin of the foot can be affected including the bones, tendons, and joint of the foot. If these underlying structures are invaded by bacteria - particularly the joints, bones, or tendons - therapy is very difficult and the chances of recovery are much lower.

Footrot can usually be recognized in typical cases; however, a number of conditions can be confused with footrot. These conditions include:

• Corns
• Sandcracks
• Puncture wounds due to nails, needles, or other sharp objects
• Sole abscesses
• Fractures of the bones of the foot
• A newly recognized condition that primarily affects dairy cattle, called "hairy footwarts"

Treatment

Treatment of footrot is relatively straightforward and if instituted early in the course of the disease is usually successful. Remember all lame feet are not necessarily footrot however; there are other conditions that look similar as listed above. Unless you are in the midst of a footrot outbreak, it is important to carefully examine the foot whenever possible to determine the cause. If you have any questions or concerns contact your veterinarian earlier rather then later. Your veterinarian will also know what is being recommended for footrot treatment and prevention as it can vary from year to year and from area to area.

Local treatment may be sufficient in very mild cases and involves thoroughly cleaning the foot, applying an astringent (such as 5% copper sulfate), and then applying an antibacterial dressing. Systemic antibiotics (injections of an antibiotic) should be considered even for mild cases to hasten and ensure a cure. For moderate or severe cases, local treatment is not usually effective and systemic antibiotic therapy is recommended. Antibiotics that are usually effective include penicillin, oxytetracycline, ampicillin, ceftiofur, or sulfa drugs. All label directions should be carefully followed including withdrawal times before slaughter. If large numbers of animals are affected herd treatment with long acting antibiotics or possibly medicated feed may need to be considered.

If possible isolate the affected cattle in a dry place with easy access to food and water. The discharge from infected feet has high numbers of the harmful strain of Fusobacterium and will increase contamination of the soil, especially in the areas that cattle like to congregate. Isolation will make it also easier to retreat if necessary. Portable panels in a pasture may be a consideration so the animal(s) do not have to walk far.

It is also useful to record who you have treated, when, and with what. Identifying the treated cattle with highly visible paint or other marker may also help pick them out more easily from the herd.  

Recovery from foot rot takes 2-4 days if treatment is started right after the infection begins. If treatment is delayed for a few days the course may be longer and some may never completely recover. If the animal does not respond within a day or two to treatment, consult your veterinarian, as deeper structures of the foot may have become infected, or there could be other causes for the lameness.

Prevention

First talk to your veterinarian and MAFRI livestock specialist as they will know of factors that are important in preventing footrot in your area. Discussing this matter with them can save you time, money and effort on control and prevention measures.

In general the most important preventative measures are to insure that damage to the feet of cattle is minimized. Other preventive measures include footbaths, feeding of organic iodine, feeding of zinc methionine, and/or vaccines. Footbaths can be used to prevent cases; however, they are not particularly useful in the face of an outbreak. The most common solutions used are 2% formalin, and 5% copper sulfate. The two compounds must be used with caution from both animal health and environmental aspects. The formalin solution is very caustic and will damage your skin or eyes if splashed or spilled. The copper sulfate can be fatal to cattle if they drink it and must be disposed of carefully to avoid damaging aquatic plants and animals. Footbaths should be used 3 to 4 times per week to be effective and should not be used for long periods of time (greater than 3 weeks). The cattle should have clean feet before entering the foot baths (pre-washing may be necessary) and only 300 head can be done before the solution should be changed. Using formalin footbaths too frequently (daily for 4-5 days) can cause irreversible damage to the cattle's feet.

Although there has been some conflicting information on the effectiveness of feeding organic iodine (ethylenediamine dihydriodide; EDDI), some studies support its use perhaps due to differences in methods. The EDDI should be fed at 10-15 milligrams per head per day.  Feeding more will not be any more effective and can cause the cattle to start showing toxic effects including excess salivation. EDDI fed in loose salt mixes works well, but EDDI in salt block formulations does not, as it does not seem to be available to the cattle. Several studies support zinc methionine is helpful in preventing footrot and copper as well appears to be useful. Good nutrition in general is important to keep your cattle’s immunity in top form to fight off footrot.  

There are also commercial vaccines (e.g. Fusogard) that have shown some effectiveness in preventing footrot in cattle. If you are considering one, contact your veterinarian for advice on their usefulness. When vaccines are used, it is important to strategically time their administration so that maximum protection is achieved when cattle are at most risk.

The key to managing footrot is prevention, because treating a large number of individual animals can take a lot of the fun out of summer.

Further Tips 

• Monitor cattle frequently when climatic/soil conditions make animals susceptible to foot rot, as treatment is much more successful when started early.

• Pay special attention to bulls when foot rot is a risk. Even if the bull appears to recover completely or continues to breed while lame he may not be fertile. Fevers, which occur with foot rot, can inhibit proper sperm production and cause temporary infertility.  Immediate treatment is critical to ensuring best results during the breeding season. If in doubt about a bull’s fertility have the bull examined for breeding soundness or replace with another bull of known breeding soundness.  It may also be worthwhile to look at a footrot vaccination program for your sires.
• If cattle have to congregate in wet muddy areas, some producers have had positive results for footrot prevention by sprinkling copper sulfate on these areas.  Where at all practical a footbath at a walk through area would be an excellent preventive step.
• Be sure trace mineral consumption on your cattle is adequate.  It is one thing to put it out, it is another to be certain that consumption levels are achieved.  Zinc is critical in footrot prevention.  Higher levels of copper also appear to help in footrot prevention.

Prepared by:

Dr. John Popp
Farm Production Extension, Beef
Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

For More Information contact your Local Specialist or MAFRI GO Teams Office or Centre.