10 Oct 2023
Manufacturer of Ketofen says resources designed around the “fab five” foot treatment team of farmers, vets, foot trimmers, mobility scorers and nutritional consultants.
Vet Times
Job Title
Ceva Animal Health has launched a range of support tools to help the “fab five” in the foot treatment team with their management of cattle lameness.
The tools – aimed at the farmers, vets, foot trimmers, mobility scorers and nutritional consultants involved in keeping cattle feet healthy – include a step-by-step guide and series of four lameness management training videos to advise on the planning and implementation of an effective herd mobility improvement programme.
The guide highlights the importance of implementing a robust and ongoing treatment plan to improve cow comfort and reduce lameness in the short-term, which will lead to increased production and herd welfare in the longer-term.
The steps feature advice on reviewing a whole herd by an independent Register of Mobility Scorers accredited mobility scorer, seeking veterinary advice or contacting a mobility mentor (someone who has been trained to deliver the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Healthy Feet Programme) if lesions are identified, treating within 48 hours of identification with a combination of trim, block, topical antimicrobial spray and NSAID, as appropriate.
The guide also covers the importance of ongoing treatment, prevention and monitoring every fortnight, and includes tips for the successful use of NSAIDs, which include the importance of using a NSAID with a zero milk withhold.
The lameness management videos are produced in collaboration with James Wilson, a foot health consultant from Herd Health Consultancy. Featuring contributions from others, they cover the benefits of regular mobility scoring, prioritising mobility and lameness prevention in heifers, and maintaining lameness management success with practical and effective lameness treatment and prevention programmes.
Harry Walby, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health – manufacturer of Ketofen – said: “Our new cattle lameness step-by-step guide and lameness management training videos provide invaluable advice to promote best practice and the planning and implementation of an effective and easy-to-follow herd mobility improvement programme, which will help increase production and herd welfare.”
The step-by-step guide and lameness management training videos are available online.
