“The occurrence of footrot in feedlots is highly variable and often seasonal, occurring during periods of extreme moisture or severe drought, or with the presence of frozen or muddy pens,” according to a 2006 report by the Oklahoma Panhandle Research & Extension Center.

During a 12-month period in a large Colorado feedlot, footrot ranked fourth in terms of total disease occurrence after lower respiratory disease, unspecified lameness, and bullers.

The research center also reported that a survey of five large western feedlots in Oklahoma and Kansas showed that lameness accounted for 16 percent of all feedlot health problems. 

When investigators totaled the costs associated with the chronic condition, treatment and overhead expenses, they found that costs an average of $59.94 per affected animal.

The report also noted “many mineral mixes and commercial supplements are formulated to provide 350 mg [of chlortetracycline or CTC] per head per day to control…diseases listed on the CTC label.”

It added, “Since footrot is caused by the same organism as liver abscesses, some control of footrot should occur with the feeding of CTC.”

According to published reports, lameness is the third most important problem on modern dairy farms after mastitis and reproductive failure. Producers suffer considerable economic losses from decreased milk production, decreased reproductive performance, and increased culling. The cost of treatment compounds their losses. 

The incidence of lameness has increased over the past 20 years with dairy cattle becoming bigger and moving to concrete floors. Lameness impacts production because lame cows spend more time lying down than eating.  It also leads to reproductive failure because lame cows will not readily show signs of estrus or maintain the proper body condition to cycle and become pregnant.

Range or pastured cattle tend to have fewer foot and leg problems, but the risk of infection is always near.  For example, beef and dairy cattle alike can be plagued by footrot, an infectious disease in cattle characterized by lameness, and the inflammation of soft tissues between the hooves.

Footrot is caused by two soil-borne bacteria, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus, which can infect interdigital tissues following an injury or abrasion in a muddy environment.  

Keeping yards clean and free of sharp objects can help reduce incidence of footrot.  Liming vacant pens and waiting at least a week before reintroducing cattle to those areas can also help. 

Maintaining good drainage is also essential. Using concrete or building mounds around feed areas will help keep cattle out of standing water.  All calves should be given adequate calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and D. Supplemental zinc has also been used to prevent footrot.

In a recent bulletin, Iowa State University reported that “feeding 500 mg chlortetracycline per head per day to feedlot cattle for 28 days, followed by 75 mg per day throughout the finishing period has been recommended” but noted that controlled comparative trials have not been done.

In one trial, calves treated with Aureomycin® (chlortetracycline) had a lower incidence of footrot.

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