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A national control program for virulent footrot is currently planned in Switzerland. Since commonly used disinfectants either contain heavy metals or are carcinogenic, the aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of an eco-friendly and non-carcinogenic candidate disinfectant against aprV2-positive strains of Dichelobacter nodosus. Additionally, the effect of the selective use of long-acting oxytetracyclines was evaluated. A total of 18 farms with confirmed footrot infection, randomly allocated to two treatment groups: (1) with antibiotics (AB; n = 9) and, (2) no antibiotics (NAB; n = 9), were included. Claws were carefully trimmed and scored using a scale from 0 (clinically healthy) to 5 (complete loss of the horn capsule) and a prewash waterbath was implemented on 11 farms. Twice-weekly, repeated whole-flock stand-in footbaths with the candidate disinfectant (6%) were performed. Additionally, animals of group AB with a score ≥ 3 were administered oxytetracyclines by injection. On all farms, 10 days after last treatment, aprV2-positive strains could not be detected by risk-based sampling for real-time PCR analysis after 7-21 (median = 12) footbaths with a minimal culling rate of non-responders on nine farms. Farms without contact to other sheep remained without clinical signs of footrot for a minimum of 245 days (mean ± standard deviation: 293.6 ± 23.6). Antibiotic treatment did not reduce the number of footbaths needed. In contrast, a mean of 3.3 disinfecting footbaths could be saved by implementing a prewash waterbath. At animal level, individual and selective use of oxytetracyclines lead to a higher chance (odds ratio = 9.95; 95% CI: 3.54-27.95; p < 0.001) for a lesion score ≥ 3 to improve to a lesion score < 3 within 2 weeks compared to treatment without antibiotics. The test disinfectant is an effective and eco-friendly alternative for the planned Swiss footrot control program and selective use of oxytetracycline has a beneficial impact on the recovery of animals with lesion scores ≥ 3.

Pasture based systems enable cattle to express their natural behavior and are thus expected to provide better welfare than the majority of confinement systems. The aim of this study was to objectively measure locomotion activity of healthy dairy cattle kept on mountain pastures (n = 44) compared with cows kept in cubicle housing systems (n = 38). Selected cows were equipped with a validated 3D-accelerometer on one hind limb, and locomotion behavior was recorded for 48 hours. The 1-hour summaries of the variables lying time, walking time, standing bouts, walking bouts and number of strides were summed up to 24-hour summaries, and the means of the stride distance and stride duration were weighted by the variable number of strides. Mountain pasture cows had higher locomotor activity levels in comparison to cubicle cows. Mountain pasture cows spent less time lying down (528.1��109.5 min/day vs. 693.3��73.8 min/day; P

Since the spread of classical digital dermatitis (DD) lesions within the cattle population, frequency of infections of interdigital hyperplasia (IH) lesions with DD-associated Treponema spp. (IH+DD) increased. The aim of the present case series is to describe an alternative treatment technique to surgical lesion removal or local treatment of HI+DD lesions with antibiotics. In this report, the effect of repeated local administration of salicylic acid paste, protected by a water repellent bandage was described and assessed for the treatment of four dairy cows with IH+DD lesions. Milker's fat Eutra was applied to the unaffected skin adjacent to the lesion to protect healthy skin from the keratolytic properties of salicylic acid paste. Treatment was repeated at weekly intervals in all four cases until the IH+DD lesions had completely clinically healed. Two cows additionally showed classical DD lesions between the heels. Clinical healing was defined as remission of IH and complete healing of the DD lesions located on IH lesions and between the heels. Complete healing was evident at three weeks of treatment in all four cases. Weekly repeated topical application of salicylic acid paste under bandage may be recommended as an alternative to surgical or antibiotic treatment of IH+DD lesions.Seit der Ausbreitung der klassischen Dermatitis digitalis (DD)-Läsionen in der Rindviehpopulation kommen Infektionen von Hyperplasia interdigitalis (HI)-Läsionen mit DD-assoziierten Treponema spp. (HI+DD) vermehrt vor. Ziel der vorliegenden Fallserie ist es, eine alternative Behandlungstechnik zur chirurgischen Entfernung respektive lokalen Behandlung von HI+DD Läsionen mit Antibiotika zu beschreiben. In diesem Bericht wurde die Wirkung einer wiederholten lokalen Applikation von Salicylsäurepaste, welche durch einen Verband geschützt war, zur Behandlung von vier Milchkühen mit HI+DD Läsionen beschrieben und beurteilt. Zusätzlich wurde Melkfett Eutra auf die angrenzenden gesunden Hautbereiche appliziert, um die gesunde Haut vor den keratolytischen Eigenschaften der Salicylsäurepaste zu schützen. Die Behandlung wurde bei allen vier Fällen in wöchentlichen Abständen bis zur vollständigen klinischen Heilung der HI+DD Läsionen wiederholt. Zwei Kühe zeigten zusätzlich klassische DD Läsionen im Zwischenballenbereich. Klinische Heilung wurde als Rückbildung der HI und vollständige Heilung der aufsitzenden und sich im Zwischenballenbereich befindenden DD Läsionen definiert. Die Dauer bis zur vollständigen klinischen Heilung betrug in allen vier Fällen drei Wochen. Die wiederholte topische Anwendung von Salicylsäurepaste unter Verband kann als Alternative zur chirurgischen oder antibiotischen Behandlung von HI+DD Läsionen empfohlen werden.Depuis la propagation des lésions classiques de dermatite digitale (DD) dans la population bovine, on constate une multiplication des hyperplasies interdigitées infectées par des Treponema spp. associés à la DD (IH+DD). Le but de cette étude de cas est de décrire une méthode alternative de traitement des lésions IH+DD en remplacement de l'excision chirurgicale resp. du traitement local avec des antibiotiques. L'effet d'une application locale répétée sous pansement d'une pâte à base d'acide salicylique pour le traitement de quatre vaches présentant des lésions IH+DD est décrit et évalué dans ce rapport. De la graisse à traire a été appliquée sur la peau saine adjacente, afin de la protéger des effets kératolytiques de la pâte à base d'acide salicylique. Le traitement a été répété à intervalles d'une semaine jusqu'à guérison clinique complète des lésions IH+DD pour les quatre cas. Deux vaches présentaient en plus des lésions classiques de DD dans la région des talons. La guérison clinique a été définie comme l'involution de l'hyperplasie interdigitée et la guérison complète des lésions de DD situées en surface et entre les talons. La durée jusqu'à la guérison clinique complète était dans les quatre cas de trois semaines. Une application topique répétée de pâte à bas d'acide salicylique sous pansement peut être recommandée comme alternative au traitement chirurgical et antibiotique de lésions IH+DD.Con la diffusione delle lesioni classiche da dermatite digitale (DD) nella popolazione bovina, è aumentata la frequenza delle lesioni da iperplasia interdigitale (II) infettate con Treponema spp. associati alla DD (II+DD). Lo scopo della seguente serie di casi è di descrivere una tecnica di trattamento alternativa alla rimozione chirurgica o alla terapia antibiotica locale delle lesioni II+DD. In questa relazione, è stato valutato e descritto l'effetto di applicazioni locali ripetute di pasta di acido salicilico protette da una benda idrorepellente, per il trattamento di quattro vacche da latte con lesioni II+DD. Il grasso da mungitura è stato applicato sulla pelle sana adiacente alla lesione per proteggerla dalle proprietà cheratolitiche dell’acido salicilico. Il trattamento è stato ripetuto ad intervalli settimanali in tutti e quattro i casi fino alla guarigione clinica completa delle lesioni II+DD. Due mucche presentavano inoltre classiche lesioni DD tra i talloni. La guarigione clinica è stata definita come la remissione della II e la completa guarigione delle lesioni DD localizzate sulle lesioni II e tra i talloni. La guarigione completa era evidente in tutti e quattro i casi dopo tre settimane di trattamento. L'applicazione topica della pasta di acido salicilico sotto bendaggio, ripetuta settimanalmente, può essere raccomandata come alternativa al trattamento chirurgico e antibiotico delle lesioni II+DD.

A newly-discovered foot disease of unknown origin in captive European Bison (Bison bonasus) was recently detected at Berne Animal Park. Dermatitis of the interdigital cleft of varying degrees of severity was diagnosed in all animals (n = 10). The aim of this study was to describe the gross and histological lesions of the interdigital cleft found in 10 captive European bison and to identify involved potential pathogens in affected feet using molecularbased methods for Treponema spp., Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. Lesions were scored according to the degree of gross pathology at limb level. In a single animal, the gross lesions were restricted to focal lesions on the dorsal aspect of the digital skin of each foot (score 1), whereas all other animals showed at least one foot with extended lesions including the interdigital cleft (score 2). The presence of viable spirochaetes was observed in all animals using dark field microscopy. Applying fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) on biopsies, Treponema spp. were identified, infiltrating the skin lesions in varying numbers in nine animals. Nested PCRs for Treponema medium, Treponema phagedenis and Treponema pedis of swab samples showed three positive animals out of ten for the latter two, whereas pooled biopsy samples were positive in all ten animals for at least T. phagedenis (9/10) and/or T. pedis (7/10), while all samples were negative for T. medium. However, none of these Treponema species could be isolated and sequence analysis of the amplified products showed 100% match of 365 base pairs (bp) to Treponema phylotype PT3 and almost full match (530 of 532 bp, 99.6%) to Treponema phylotype PT13. The presence of T. phagedenis, PT3 and PT13 phylotypes was confirmed by FISH analyses. The phylotypes of T. phagedenis were present in all hybridized positive biopsies of Treponema spp., and PT13 and PT3 were less abundant. Neither D. nodosus nor F. necrophorum were detected. The histological Treponema score was mostly mild. Digital dermatitis in captive European Bison is contagious and differs from bovine digital dermatitis, concerning associated pathogens as well as gross appearance.

Feeding waste milk containing antimicrobial residues (WMA) to calves has been associated with increased antimicrobial resistance in calves' commensal bacterial flora. The objectives of this study were (1) to document practices related to the disposal of WMA on Swiss dairy farms and (2) to evaluate the association between farm characteristics and the feeding of WMA to calves. A web-based questionnaire on practices surrounding waste milk disposal was completed by 1,625 dairy producers (10.9% of solicited producers). Logistic regression models were built to evaluate the association between herd characteristics and the practice of feeding WMA. Waste milk produced during and up to the first milking after completion of antimicrobial treatment or during the withdrawal period was fed to at least some of the calves on 47.3% of respondents' farms. Farms in organic production had lower odds of feeding WMA to calves than nonorganic farms [odds ratio (OR) 0.59]. Farms located in the eastern region of Switzerland, as opposed to those in the western region, had increased odds of feeding WMA to calves (OR 2.01). A yearly average bulk tank somatic cell count ≥150,000 cells/mL was associated with increased odds of feeding WMA to calves compared with the reference category of

Lameness affects dairy cows worldwide and is usually associated with pain. Behavioral differences in lame compared to non-lame tie-stall-housed dairy cows might be less pronounced than in free-stall-housed, since the principle demands to a cow's locomotor system and thus the impact of lameness on behavior seem to be lower in tie stalls. Behavioral differences between lame and non-lame cows might be used to estimate the impact of lameness on the well-being of tied dairy cows. In the current study, lame cows were categorized as locomotion scoring between 2.25 and 3.25 on a 1-5 scale. The aim was to compare the eating, rumination and lying behavior of lame cows against non-lame tied dairy cows, in order to draw conclusions on the association of lameness, behavior and well-being in tied dairy cows. The eating and rumination behavior of 26, the lying behavior of 30, and the relative upright and lying activities of 25 matched case-control pairs were analyzed, considering the matching criteria farm, breed-type, and parity-group. Lame cows had fewer [mean of the pairwise differences (case-control) (mean(diff)) = -2.6 bouts, CI95% (-3.8--1.4) bouts, p = 0.001], but longer lying bouts [mean(diff) = 26.7 min per bout, CI95% (10.1-43.4) min per bout, p = 0.006]. The lying time was shorter [mean(diff) = -64.7 min, CI95% (-104.4--24.9) min, p = 0.006] in lame cows compared to their non-lame controls. Lame cows had a shorter eating time [mean(diff) = -27.7 min, CI95% (-51.5--4.0) min, p = 0.042] and spent a larger proportion of their upright time ruminating [mean(diff) = 7.2%, CI95% (3.2-11.1)%, p = 0.001] instead of eating. The results of the current study indicate that the eating, rumination, and lying behavior of lame tied dairy cows is altered. These findings indicate that slight and moderate lameness (locomotion score between 2.25 and 3.25 on a 1-5 scale) are likely to be associated with an impaired well-being in affected tied dairy cows. This underlines the need to continuously reduce the lameness prevalence and severity in tied dairy herds.

A footbath-based control program for ovine footrot, a contagious disease caused by Dichelobacter nodosus, will be implemented in Switzerland. The currently used footbath disinfectants formaldehyde, zinc sulfate and copper sulfate are carcinogenic or environmental pollutants. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify alternative disinfectants, which are highly effective, non-carcinogenic, environmentally acceptable, inexpensive, available as concentrate and suitable for licensing. The antimicrobial effect of a series of potential chemicals such as lactic acid, propionic acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, octenidine dihydrochloride, chlorocresol, Ampholyt 20 and the registered biocide DESINTEC® Hoof Care Special D (Desintec) were investigated by culture based in vitro testing. The microcidal effect of various Desintec concentrations were then compared against routinely used 4% formaldehyde and 10% zinc sulfate in ex vivo assays on sheep feet from slaughter. For this purpose a newly established PMA (propidium monoazid) real-time PCR using the improved dye PMAxx™ was applied that allows discrimination of viable and dead D. nodosus. In the ex vivo experiments, 4% formaldehyde was significantly more effective than 10% zinc sulfate and was chosen as positive control for assessing the new disinfectant. The disinfectant effect of Desintec in a minimal concentration of 6% was equally effective as 4% formaldehyde, meaning that it offers a comparable antimicrobial effect against virulent D. nodosus. In conclusion, Desintec is a promising disinfectant for replacing formaldehyde, copper sulfate and zinc sulfate in footbaths against footrot.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether changes in cortisol concentration measured in blood serum (KoB) of cows exposed to an acute stressor shows a correlation to cortisol concentrations in saliva (KoS), tears (KoT) and milk (KoM) as well as the concentration of cortisol metabolites in feces (KoK). MATERIALS AND METHODS In 10 healthy German Holstein cows, sham foot trimming (sKB) including the movement/fixation of the cows through/in a foot trimming chute was used as a model for acute stress. KoB, KoS, KoT, KoM and KoK were measured once a day for 10 days. During sKB, performed on day 4, KoB and KoT were measured at the initiation of foot trimming (minute 0) as well as 15, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 80 minutes later. Additionally, KoK was measured 480, 540, 600 and 660 minutes after the start of sKB. RESULTS KoB and KoT increased during sKB and reached a maximum at 60 minutes followed by a decrease. KoK increased after sKB and reached a maximum at 660 minutes. There was a significant correlation between KoB and KoT, KoK and KoB and a trend towards a significant correlation between KoK and KoT during sKB. KoB and KoT were significantly correlated (area under the curve, minute 0-10, p = 0.04). KoB decreased significantly from day 1 to day 4 (p < 0.01). On day, 5 KoB (p = 0.03) and KoK (p < 0.01) were significantly higher. KoS and KoT served as good proxies for KoB throughout the study, and KoK and KoB exhibited similar profiles. There were several differences between the profiles of KoM and KoB. During the 10-day measurement period, a significant positive correlation was detected between KoB and KoS (p = 0.002) as well as between KoB and KoT (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The collection of tear fluid and saliva for determination of cortisol concentrations are non-invasive alternatives to blood sampling. Calm handling of cows may reduce their stress reaction and thus improve animal welfare.