{"id":56804,"date":"2019-06-25T22:00:42","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T22:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/digital-dermatitis-stymies-feed-efficiency-in-the-feedlot\/"},"modified":"2023-07-19T13:09:54","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:09:54","slug":"digital-dermatitis-stymies-feed-efficiency-in-the-feedlot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zinpro.com\/en_na\/resource-center\/blog\/digital-dermatitis-stymies-feed-efficiency-in-the-feedlot\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Dermatitis Stymies Feed Efficiency in the Feedlot"},"content":{"rendered":"

Digital dermatitis, also known as hairy heel warts, takes its toll in growing-finishing feedlot cattle. It reduces market weights and hot carcass weights in infected cattle, according to beef feedlot research conducted in commercial feedlots located in Iowa and Illinois, where digital dermatitis is an endemic problem. The studies evaluated the differences between cattle fed a novel nutritional supplement that included Zinpro Performance Minerals\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> (zinc, manganese, copper) and iodine to a supplement that had a similar profile from predominantly inorganic trace mineral sources (zinc, manganese, copper) which also included iodine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\none study, cattle fed performance trace minerals had an average increase in\ntotal final weight gain of 17.6 pounds (8 kg), and a calculated average increase\nin hot carcass weight of 26 pounds (11.8 kg) per animal compared to the animals\nfed an inorganic source of trace minerals. Likewise, cattle fed the inorganic\ntrace minerals had a greater prevalence of total digital dermatitis lesions by the\ntime cattle were shipped to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Dermatitis Impacts Beef Cattle Nutrition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital\ndermatitis is a growing health and animal welfare concern in feedlots located\nin some geographic regions of the United States and Canada.  Digital dermatitis may commonly be misdiagnosed\nas foot rot; however, treatment and prevention strategies are different. So, it\nis important that an accurate diagnosis be made as soon as possible to help\nreduce the incidence and severity of the disease and its adverse effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital\ndermatitis begins as lesions around the claw. They are raw, bright-red or black\ncircular erosions of the skin just above the heel bulbs. The edges form a white\nmargin that surrounds sores or are adjacent to thick, hairy wart-like growths.\nThere are five stages of digital dermatitis, ranging from M1\n(early\/subclinical) to M4.1 (chronically recurring). It starts to impact animal\nhealth at the M2 stage, which is the more painful, ulcerated lesion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\npain and chronic lameness from the M2 lesions are such that cattle are very\nreluctant to move. They\u2019ll either stand longer or they\u2019ll lay down longer than\ntheir pen mates that don\u2019t have M2 lesions. The result of this suppressed\nmovement is that they basically do not get to the bunk as much as they normally\nwould.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trace Mineral Research <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital dermatitis has been recognized for many years in dairy herds, and research using Zinpro products has shown efficacy in controlling or mitigating the prevalence of digital dermatitis lesions. Based on the observed responses in dairy cattle, two studies have been conducted in beef cattle feedlots to evaluate the efficacy of the Availa\u00ae<\/sup> Plus DD Formula. Both research studies were conducted with Dorte Dopfer, DVM, Ph.D, University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, as the principle investigator, and in cooperation with the management at both facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nfirst study was conducted at a commercial feedlot located in northern Illinois\ninvolving 1,077 growing-finishing steers. The cattle had been in the feedlot\nprior to beginning of the study and it was determined during the initial digital\ndermatitis evaluation that a substantial percentage of the cattle already\nexhibited digital dermatitis lesions. Steers were fed either a Control\nsupplement providing similar levels of trace minerals (Cu, Co, I, Mn, Se and\nZn) from primarily inorganic sources or the Availa-Plus DD Formula. Cattle were\nindividually scored for digital dermatitis lesions throughout a 60-day adaption\nphase, and until steers were shipped to the harvesting plant.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study found that 54.03 percent\nof steers fed the inorganic trace minerals diet developed digital dermatitis\nlesions, while only 26.72 percent of the steers fed the Availa-Plus\nDD Formula had digital dermatitis lesions. Growth\nperformance, final live weight and hot carcass weights were negatively impacted\nwhen steers were observed to have active digital dermatitis lesions (M2\nlesions) compared to steers with no M2 lesions over the study period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n