A FOOTBATH for cattle that cuts the cost of treating hoof diseases by up to
80 per cent, has been developed by a Cumbrian dairy farmer. Cows are often
suspicious of conventional baths, but they seem to like the new design, the
winning entry in last month鈥檚 Science into Practice Awards. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a simple
idea,鈥� says the inventor, Mike Stable.
The footbath is a long plastic tray about 15 centimetres deep. It is lined
with a thick pad of foam rubber covered by a butyl-rubber sheet, which is sealed
around the edges. A small amount of liquid is poured onto the rubber sheet. As a
cow steps into the bath, its weight compresses the foam and the sheet forms a
well of liquid that covers the entire hoof.
Compared with existing baths, Stable鈥檚 design reduces the amount of chemical
needed by up to 80 per cent.
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Cows are reluctant to go paddling in a footbath. 鈥淭he animals don鈥檛 like the
conventional footbath because all they can see is an expanse of water, and that
makes them suspicious,鈥� says Stable. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e less reluctant to walk on the
butyl sheet.鈥�
Cattle are susceptible to a number of foot diseases鈥攆oot rot, for
instance鈥攆or which they are treated with chemicals such as formaldehyde
and copper sulphate. One common disease is digital dermatitis, which appears as
a small red sore at the back of the heel. First seen in Britain in 1987, it now
affects over half of all dairy herds. To prevent the disease herds are treated
once or twice a year with a solution of the antibiotic Terramycin.
According to Stable, the 拢300 to 拢400 it costs to make up a
Terramycin bath is too much for many cash-strapped farmers, who tend to overlook
the problem. His bath, which is produced under licence by Paxton, a company
based in Walsall in the West Midlands, costs 拢465. This is roughly twice
as much as a conventional footbath, but because less solution is required,
Stable believes it will soon save farmers money. 鈥淣ow we have a means to bring
this disease under control,鈥� he says.
The awards are sponsored jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food, and Andersons, a firm of farm business consultants.
