Farm Animals

Cattle Digital Dermatitis Prevention and Treatment

Digital dermatitis (Mortellaro's disease) is a painful lameness condition affecting dairy cattle worldwide, with significant welfare and economic consequences.

Key Facts

Digital dermatitis affects up to 25% of cows in some herds
The condition causes severe lameness and pain
Spirochaete bacteria are primary pathogens, though the exact cause is multifactorial
Foot bathing with copper sulphate or oxytetracycline reduces spread
Early stage treatment with topical antibiotics is highly effective

Welfare Considerations

Digital dermatitis causes significant pain during standing and walking, reducing feed intake and milk production. Affected cows show gait changes, weight shifting, and altered behaviour. Systematic monitoring, footbathing, and prompt treatment of early lesions dramatically improves welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support farms with systematic lameness monitoring and treatment programmes
Advocate for lameness reporting as part of farm welfare assessments
Choose dairy products from farms with low lameness prevalence