After a few days, the mats were moved permanently to the parlour entrance, where the walkway narrows. “This has the benefit of slowing the cattle down, allowing more time for their feet to come into contact with the product. It also provides an opportunity for the liquid to adhere

to the hoof while the cows are standing in the parlour,” says Mr Harrison. He has found that a ‘fortnight on, fortnight off’ programme is the best treatment method. Individual cows suffering from recurring lameness are given special attention for two to three consecutive days, with their feet washed thoroughly in the parlour, before spraying undiluted Hooftreat Plus on to the affected area.In the past, Mr Harrison relied on formalin footbaths to control lameness caused by infectious diseases, but the remedy proved only partially successful. “While the formalin reduced the number of general lameness cases, it made little impression on digital dermatitis and was unpleasant to handle,” explains Mr Harrison. “By contrast, the Hooftreat Plus has alleviated all the symptoms, and is much more user-friendly.“ One of the first signs of improvement I noticed was the disappearance of the awful smell associated

with digital dermatitis and foul,” says Mr Harrison. “After that, it became apparent that cattle which had been severely lame had started to put the weight back down on their feet.“No other product on the market has been as effective at tackling general lameness and digital dermatitis as Hooftreat Plus. After just a few treatments the lesions associated with digital dermatitis on one of my worst cows’ feet turned from red raw to dry and black.“In my opinion, it is a cost-efficient method of treating diseases that can have an impact on both production and fertility.”