Field note · 3 min · 2026-09-07
Name horn or skin before you spray
Digital dermatitis and a sole ulcer fail different tissues. One protocol cannot fix both.
ShareName horn or skin before you spray
A herd spraying every lame cow in the lockup was treating ulcers as if they were hairy heel warts. The chute later showed classic sole ulcers on lateral hind claws.
Merck’s split is the useful habit: infectious skin disease versus claw-horn disruption. Hygiene and early topical care for one; trim, surface, and standing time for the other.
Look at the lesion. Then pick the lever.
Sources
- Overview of Lameness in Cattle — Merck Veterinary Manual
- Hoof Cowdemy — trim-chute craft — BarnX / Hoof Cowdemy