Note: Use of two footbaths is recommended by most vets, the first for a water rinse and the second for disinfectant solution. The separate water rinse keeps disinfectant solution cleaner, longer.

TIPS ON HOW TO USE YOUR FOOTBATH

Footbathing after milking is preferred, since chemicals tracked inside will corrode metals. Locate footbath by exit door of stall barn, or in the exit lane of milking parlor, so cows walk through it twice a day. Cows should leave footbath onto a dry, firm surface. Walking cows over a thin bed of lime after the footbath is also very beneficial. The lime acts as a backup to the footbath in keeping the skin over the heel areas hard and dry and provides good footing.

TIP: If your cows initially try to walk around or jump over footbath, fill it with hay. Gradually remove the hay over the next several days, until your cows are used to walking through the footbath.

Fill footbath with a 2-1/2% to 5% copper sulfate solution. Do not use concentrations greater than 5%, as they can harm skin on a cow's feet or may splash up on a cow's teats. Once existing foot problems have been reduced, cut solution percentage to 3% or 2-1/2%.

The footbath solution should be 3-1/2" to 6" deep. It should be emptied and cleaned thoroughly once a week, more often if it becomes diluted with waste (the strength of the solution will decrease during use, but copper sulfate is not quickly inactivated by manure. The appearance of the solution does not necessarily reflect its effectiveness). Most vets claim that the emptied solution should not cause contamination problems if it is added to barn manure waste.

Regular use of a footbath as a preventative treatment is very important. Use of a footbath only after the outbreak of clinical disease is not generally effective. Most vets recommend using footbath with disinfectant solution two times a day for at least two days per week. During the remainder of each week, they recommend filling the footbath daily with clean water so cows can walk through it at each milking.