Sheep Hoof Health and Management

Sheep hoof health and managementSUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn)Sheep & Goat SpecialistWestern Maryland Research & Education [email protected] - www.sheepandgoat.com

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sheep-hoof-health-and-management

Hoof care

Hoof care is an important aspect of animal management.

Hoof health can affect an animal’s performance, disease resistance, and welfare.

Hooves should be regularly checked for disease and excess growth.

Animals with excessive or abnormal hoof growth and chronic hoof disease should be culled.

CULLING IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL!

Why do you need to trim hooves?

To prevent lameness.

To allow air to reach the hoof to eliminate the bacteria that can cause infection.

To create a flat sole surface, removing trapped mud and feces and reducing the possibility of infection.

To promote proper hoof growth in young animals.

Frequency of hoof trimming At least annually: varies from monthly to as-needed to never.

Genetics Individual Breed Color of hoof Structure/shape of hoof

Environment Soil moisture and

characteristics (terrain) Season and rainfall Housing Diet

Factors affecting the need for hoof trimming:

Proper equipment for hoof trimming

1. Hoof shears (trimmers) Manual▪ Smooth vs. serrated▪ Rotating handle

Air-compression driven[large flocks]

2. Hoof knife Straight vs. curved

3. Brush [for cleaning hoof]

4. Tight fitting (nitrile) gloves(for safety and comfort)

YOU CAN’T DO A THOROUGH JOB OF

HOOF TRIMMING WITHOUT A KNIFE.

Proper restraint for hoof trimming

Tip animal onto its rump

Deck chair

Tilt table or “squeeze” Manual▪ Half-tilt▪ Full-tilt

Automatic

Proper timing of hoof trimming

Not during late gestation.

In conjunction with other management tasks.[e.g. shearing]

2 to 3 weeks before a show.

When hooves are soft.

Proper hoof trimming

Clean hoof

Trim excess growth Trim to pad (sole) Trim axial surface Don’t cut tip

[entry for infection]

Try not to draw blood.[entry for infection]

Disinfect tools between animals.

PRACTICE MAKES “PERFECT.”

Diseases affecting the hooves

COMMON

Foot scald (esp. goats) Foot abscess Footrot (esp. sheep)

LESS COMMON

Laminitis (founder) Bluetongue Soremouth Foot-and-mouth

disease

BA

CTER

IAL

VIR AL

Fusobacterium necrophorum

Gram-negative, anaerobic bacteria that live in the digestive tract and feces of animals.

Interact with other bacteria to cause foot scald and foot abscesses.

Work in conjunction with D. nodosus to cause footrot.

BACTERIA ON EVERY FARM

CAUSES FOOT SCALD

(INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS)

Foot scald(also called interdigital dermatitis, benign footrot, or strip)

An inflammation and redness between the toes (claws) of the hoof.

No (or minimal) involvement of the hoof.

Precursor to footrot and foot abscess.

Outbreaks occur during periods of wet weather.NOT CONTAGIOUS

SKIN BETWEEN TOES IS RAW AND INFLAMED.

Foot abscess

Occur when Actinomyces spp. bacteria invade tissue already weakened by an interdigital infection.

Causes lameness, pain, swelling, and heat.

Affects mostly mature and heavy animals.

Usually only one hoof or digit is affected.COMMON BACTERIA

HEEL OR TOE

Dichelobacter nodosus(previously called Bacteroides nodosus)

Gram-negative, anaerobic bacteria that live in the feet of infected animals.

Release protease enzymes which digest connective tissue between the horn and flesh of the hoof.

Survival of D. nodosus Does not infect healthy hooves. Up to three years in

chronically-infected hooves. Up to 14 days on soil, feces,

and pasture. Up to 6 weeks in hoof horn

clippings Other surfaces: not known

20 DIFFERENT STRAINS OF BACTERIA THAT VARY IN

VIRULENCE.

CAUSES FOOTROT

Footrot(also referred to as virulent, contagious, or classic footrot)

Involves a separation of the horny portions of the hoof from the underlying sensitive areas.

Foul odor.

Both claws are usually affected.

More than one hoof may be involved.

HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS

UNDERMINING OF HOOF

How do foot diseases get established?

Irritation of interdigital tissue caused by moisture or trauma allows entry of F. necrophorum.

Other disease-causing bacteria invade tissue already weakened by interdigital dermatitis.

Predisposing factors to hoof disease: Warmth (>45°F) + moisture Overgrown hooves Abnormal hoof growth

Infection or exposure does not provide natural immunity.

How do foot diseases get established?

Moisture / trauma

Softening, damage to skin between toes

Invasion by Fusobacterium necrophorum

INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS OR FOOT SCALD

Invasion byActinomyces

pyogenes

Invasion byDichelorbacter

nodosus

FOOT ABSCESS SHEEP FOOTROT

Source: Guide to Footrot in Sheep, Alberta Sheep & Wool Commission

Sources of footrot D. nodosus -- the disease-causing bacteria

Primary In the hooves of newly

acquired animals.

Secondary On contaminated

equipment. In contaminated bedding at

sales, fairs, and during transport.

In the hooves of goats and cattle.

On pasture and in barn lots. On footwear. From service personnel

FOOTROT USUALLY “WALKS ON” TO A FARM IN THE HOOVES OF AN INFECTED

ANIMAL OR CHRONIC CARRIER.

Keep footrot off your farm!

Have a written biosecurity plan and follow it.

Do not buy animals from flocks with a history of foot diseases or noticeable lameness.

All newly acquired animals should be suspected of having footrot and be quarantined for a minimum of 3 weeks. FOOTROT PUTS PEOPLE OUT

OF BUSINESS!

During the quarantine period Observe all new

animals for lameness.

Carefully inspect each foot.

Closely trim hooves.

Spray each foot with a solution of 20% zinc sulfate.

At the end of the quarantine period

Re-trim (if necessary) and thoroughly examine hooves for signs of infection.

If there is any evidence of footrot infection, all animals in the group should be foot bathed with a 10% solution of zinc sulfate.

Sheep foot health projectUniversity of Maine (funded by Northeast SARE)

Goal: eliminate the effects of footrot in sheep flocks in the Northeast.

1. Education▪ Cooperating flocks▪ 4 week protocol for

eliminating footrot▪ Web site:

extension.umaine/sheep/

2. Research▪ Scoring▪ DNA testing

Dr. Richard BrzozowksiUniversity of Maine Extension

4 week protocol for eliminating foot rotWeek 1 - day 0

Trim, inspect, and score feet of every sheep (and goat) on the farm.

Separate into groups1. Healthy,

infection-free 2. Infected (recovering)

Consider culling infected animals.

Hoof scoring

Health (scale of 1-5)1. No sign of infection2. Inflammation of digital skin,

possible odor3. Odor, undermining/

separation, lameness4. Excessive undermining two

or more feet infected, odor5. Chronic carrier

Structure Pockets Other abnormal growth

Hoof colorwhite, mottled, black, brown, gray

“Pocket”

Example of foot lesion scores (UK)

4 week protocol for eliminating footrotWeek 1 - day 0

Foot bath all animals

Protocol for foot bathing Mix 8.5 pounds of zinc sulfate

in 10 gallons of water + 1 cup of laundry detergent (wetting agent).

Create a “soak” pad in bottom of footbath (wool or sawdust) to prevent splashing and loss of solution.

Sheep (and goats) should stand in foot bath for at least 3 to 5 minutes.


After soaking, put animals in drying area: Well-bedded barn area Dry, hard surface ▪ Clean concrete pad ▪ Wooden floor

After drying, put groups into separate pastures or barn areas where sheep (or goats) have not been for at least two weeks.


Repeat foot bathing and drying protocol.

Observe animals and check for any limpers. Check and trim feet of

limpers in healthy group and move to infected group.


Inspect all sheep (and goats) Check and trim hooves

(if necessary). Score hooves

Move infected animals that have recovered to healthy group and vice versa.


Move groups to separate pastures where sheep (and goats) have not been for at least 2 weeks.



Observe animals and check for any limpers. Check and trim feet

of limpers in healthy group and move to infected group.


Inspect all sheep (and goats)

Score each hoof



After 4 weeks, all animals except “carriers” should have been able to heal.

Cull any animal that is still infected.

Cull carriers!

Eradicate footrot in 4 weeks

TRIM TREAT ISOLATE

CULL

Day 0

Day 7

Day 14

Day 21

Day 28

F o o t r o t e r a d i c a t e d !

4-p

lus

Other optionsfor controlling and eradicating footrot and scald

Antibiotic injections Penicillin Tetracyclines

Antibiotic sprays

Topical treatment with Koppertox® or 7% iodine

Dry chemicals (zinc sulfate + lime)

Absorptive pads (zinc sulfate)

Vaccination [prevent + treat]

Zinc supplementation

Genetic selection

CONTROL AND/OR ERADICATION OF

FOOTROT USUALLY REQUIRES A

COMBINATION OF PRACTICES.

Breeding for resistance to footrot

CONVENTIONAL SELECTIONUSING FOOTROT LESION SCORING

Resistance to footrot is heritable. Low to moderate

heritability0.02 to 0.40 (UK)0.30 to 0.40 (NZ)

Low repeatabilityAt least two footrot scores are recommended (UK)

Goal: EPDs/EBVs for footrot resistance.

MARKER-BASED SELECTIONUSING DNA TESTING

Genetic markers have been found which can identify if a sheep is resistant to footrot.

A blood test for resistance is currently available (NZ) To be effective the same

strains of D. nodosus must be causing footrot.

A rapid test to identify D. nodosus strains is being commercialized.

Does not require exposure to disease.

Hoof health links

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/footrot.html

http://extension.maine.edu/sheep

SUSAN [email protected]

www.sheepandgoat.com

Thank you for your attention

Any questions?

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sheep-hoof-health-and-management