These are copies of the slides from a PowerPoint presentation prepared for the 2011 Missouri Livestock Symposium.

1. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
Factors affecting the
need for hoof trimming:
Genetics
Individual
Breed
SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy‐nē‐ŭn) Color of hoof
Sheep & Goat Specialist Structure/shape of hoof
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
sschoen@umd.edu ‐ www.sheepandgoat.com Environment
Soil moisture and
characteristics (terrain)
Season and rainfall
Housing
Diet
Hoof care is an important
aspect of animal 1. Hoof shears (trimmers) YOU CAN’T DO A THOROUGH JOB OF
management. HOOF TRIMMING WITHOUT A KNIFE.
Manual
▪ Smooth vs. serrated
Hoof health can affect an
animal’s performance,
p , ▪ Rotating handle
disease resistance, and Air‐compression driven
welfare. [large flocks]
Hooves should be regularly
checked for disease and 2. Hoof knife
excess growth.
Straight vs. curved
Animals with excessive or
abnormal hoof growth and 3. Brush
chronic hoof disease should CULLING IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL! [for cleaning hoof]
be culled.
To prevent lameness. Tip animal onto
To allow air to reach the
its rump
hoof, to eliminate the
bacteria that cause Deck chair
infection.
infection
To create a flat sole Tilt table or
surface, removing trapped “squeeze”
mud and feces and Manual
reducing the possibility of
infection. ▪ Half‐tilt
▪ Full‐tilt
To promote proper hoof Automatic
growth in young animals.
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2. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
Not during late Gram‐negative,
gestation. CAUSES FOOT SCALD anaerobic bacteria that
(INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS) live in the digestive tract
In conjunction with other and feces of animals.
management tasks.
[e.g. shearing] Interact with other
bacteria to cause foot
scald and foot
2 to 3 weeks before a
abscesses.
show.
ON EVERY FARM Works in conjunction
When hooves are soft. with D. Nodosus to cause
footrot.
Clean hoof An inflammation and
SKIN BETWEEN TOES IS redness between the
Trim excess growth RAW AND INFLAMED. toes (claws).
Trim to pad (sole)
No (or minimal
Trim axial surface
involvement) of
Don’t cut tip PRACTICE MAKES “PERFECT.” the hoof.
[entry for infection]
Try not to draw blood. Precursor to footrot and
[entry for infection] foot abscesses.
NOT CONTAGIOUS
Disinfect tools Outbreaks occur during
between animals periods of wet weather.
COMMON Occurs when Actinomyces
HEEL OR TOE bacteria invade tissue
Foot scald (esp. goats)
BACTERIAL
already weakened by an
Foot abscess interdigital infection.
Footrot (esp. sheep)
Causes lameness, pain,
swelling, and heat.
LESS COMMON
Affects mostly mature
Laminitis (founder) and heavy animals.
Bluetongue
Usually only one hoof or
VIRAL
Soremouth digit is affected.
ACTINOMYCES IS UBIQUITIOUS.
Foot‐and‐mouth disease
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3. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
Gram‐negative, anaerobic Moisture / trauma
CAUSES FOOTROT bacteria that live in the feet of
infected animals. Softening, damage to skin between toes
Release protease enzymes which
digest connect tissue between the Invasion by Fusobacterium necrophorum
horn and flesh of the hoof.
INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS OR FOOT SCALD
Survival of D. Nodosus
Does not infect healthy hooves
Up to three years in Invasion by Invasion by
chronically‐infected hooves. Actinomyces pyogenes Dichelorbacter nodosus
20 DIFFERENT STRAINS OF BACTERIA Up to 14 days on soil, feces,
and pasture
THAT VARY IN VIRULENCE. FOOT ABSCESS SHEEP FOOTROT
Up to 6 weeks in hoof horn clippings
Other surfaces: not known
Source: Guide to Footrot in Sheep, Alberta Sheep & Wool Commission
Involves a separation of Primary
the horny portions of the In the hooves of newly
UNDERMINING OF HOOF hoof from the underlying acquired animals.
sensitive areas.
Secondary
On contaminated
O t i t d
Putrid odor equipment.
In contaminated bedding at
Both claws are usually sales, fairs, and during
transport.
affected. In the hooves of goats
and cattle.
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS On pasture and in barn lots.
More than one hoof may
be involved. On footwear.
From service personnel FOOTROT USUALLY “WALKS ON” TO A FARM IN THE
HOOVES OF AN INFECTED ANIMAL OR CHRONIC CARRIER.
Irritation of interdigital tissue
caused by moisture or trauma Have a written
allows entry of F. necrophorum. biosecurity plan and
follow it.
Other disease‐causing
bacteria invade tissue already
y y
Do not buy animals from
weakened by interdigital flocks with a history of foot
dermatitis. diseases or noticeable
lameness.
Predisposing factors:
Warmth (>45°F) + moisture All newly acquired animals
Overgrown hooves should be suspected of
Abnormal hoof growth having footrot and be
Infection or exposure does not quarantined for a minimum
provide natural immunity. of 3 weeks.
FOOTROT PUTS PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS!
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4. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
Observe all new Trim, inspect, and
animals for lameness. score feet of every
sheep (and goat) on
Carefully inspect the farm.
each foot.
h f t
Separate into groups
Closely trim hooves. 1. Healthy,
infection‐free
2. Infected (recovering)
Spray each foot with
a solution of 20% zinc Consider culling
sulfate. infected animals.
Re‐trim (if necessary) Health (scale of 1‐5)
1. No sign of infection
and thoroughly 2. Inflammation of digital skin,
examine hooves for possible odor
3. Odor, undermining/
signs of infection. p ,
separation, lameness
4. Excessive undermining two
or more feet infected, odor
If there is any evidence 5. Chronic carrier
of footrot infection, all
Structure
animals in the group Pockets
should be foot bathed Other abnormal growth
with a 10% solution of Hoof color “Pocket”
zinc sulfate. white, mottled, black, brown, gray
Goal: eliminate the effects
of footrot in sheep
flocks in the Northeast.
1. Education
ducat o
▪ Cooperating flocks
▪ 4 week protocol for
eliminating foot rot
▪ Web site:
extension.umaine/sheep/
2. Research
▪ Scoring
▪ DNA testing Dr. Richard Brzozowksi
University of Maine Extension
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5. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
Foot bath all animals Inspect all sheep (and goats)
Check and trim hooves
Protocol for foot bathing (if necessary).
Mix 8.5 pounds of zinc sulfate in Score hooves
10 gallons of water + 1 cup of
laundry detergent (wetting Move infected animals that
agent). have recovered to healthy
group and vice versa.
Create a “soak” pad in bottom of
footbath (wool or sawdust) to
prevent splashing and loss of Repeat foot bathing and
solution. drying protocol.
Sheep (and goats) should Move groups to separate
stand in foot bath for at least pastures where sheep (and
3 to 5 minutes (preferably goats) have not been for at
longer). least 2 weeks.
After soaking, put Repeat foot bathing
animals in drying area:
Well‐bedded barn area
and drying protocol.
Dry, hard surface
▪ Clean concrete pad Observe sheep and
Ob h d
▪ Wooden floor check for any limpers.
After drying, put groups Check and trim feet
into separate pastures or of limpers in healthy
barn areas where sheep group and move to
(or goats) have not been
for at least two weeks. infected group.
Repeat foot bathing Inspect all sheep
and drying protocol. (and goats)
Observe animals and
Score each hoof
check for any limpers.
Check and trim feet of
limpers in healthy group Repeat foot
and move to infected bathing and
group.
drying protocol.
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6. Sheep hoof health and management 12/3/11
After 4 weeks, Cull carriers!
all animals except
“carriers” should
have been able
h b bl
to heal.
Cull any animal
that is still
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/footrot.html
infected.
http://extension.maine.edu/sheep
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Any questions?
Antibiotic injections
Penicillin
Tetracyclines
Antibiotic sprays
Topical treatment with
l h
Koppertox® or 7% iodine
Dry chemicals
Absorptive pads
Vaccination [prevent + treat]
Zinc supplementation
CONTROL AND/OR ERADICATION OF
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Genetic selection FOOTROT USUALLY REQUIRES A sschoen@umd.edu
COMBINATION OF PRACTICES. www.sheepandgoat.com
CONVENTIONAL SELECTION MARKER‐BASED SELECTION
USING FOOTROT LESION SCORING USING DNA TESTING
Resistance to footrot is Genetic markers have been
found which can identify if a
heritable in ewes, but sheep is resistant to footrot.
not lambs.
not lambs A blood test for resistance
Low to moderate heritability is currently available (NZ)
0.02 to 0.40 (UK) To be effective the same
strains of D. nodosus must
0.30 to 0.40 (NZ) be causing footrot.
Low repeatability
A rapid test to identify D.
At least two footrot scores nodosus strains is being
are recommended (UK) commercialized.
Creation of EPDs/EBVs
Does not require exposure
to disease.
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