What’s everyone footbathing with?

[Mc115reed]

Over your cow numbers would you not benefit massively and it pay for itself in having an auto footbath fitted? There were grants on them.... that way it’s flushed and fresh put in after so many cows....

 

[Adam@Rumen]

Where is everyone buying their formalin from we’ve not bought and Ibc for a long time due to not having somewhere to put it handy but can sort that now.
@Adam@Rumen am I dreaming or do you/ did you sell it?

Yes we do it and should be very competitive. If you could fire your postcode over I'll work the price out for you cheers

 

[Adam@Rumen]

As for the temperature thing...

At cold temperatures, formalin is less effective. However the solution adheres to the foot and heats up to a higher, more active temperature.

Abstract from the published Dutch paper here:

"Formalin (= approximately 35 per cent formaldehyde) foot baths are used with variable success to prevent interdigital dermatitis, eczema of the interdigital skin accompanied by secondary destruction of the bulb horn. Experimental studies were done in vivo and in vitro to determine the significance of the temperature and concentration of the formalin solution and the method of bathing (standing in a bath for sixty minutes or walking through a bath, in which case each foot is immersed twice in the solution). The results show that a low temperature of the bathing solution (10 degrees C), which theoretically produces poor disinfection (Table 3), does not necessarily imply inadequate disinfection in actual practice (Table 4) as the solution will adhere to the interdigital skin for about thirty minutes (Table 2) and very rapidly will acquire the temperature of the skin (20 degrees-30 degrees C, Table 1). Therefore contact between the interdigital skin and grass, mud, dung and so on has to be prevented for the first thirty minutes after bathing. The more intensive contact between formalin and skin in a stationary foot bath offers advantages over the pass-through bath (Table 4). When a 3 percent formalin solution in a pass-through bath fails to produce satisfactory results, a 5 percent solution may be used. This concentration will result in more effective disinfection (Table 4); higher concentrations may cause skin lesions."

 

[Mc115reed]

As for the temperature thing...

At cold temperatures, formalin is less effective. However the solution adheres to the foot and heats up to a higher, more active temperature.

Abstract from the published Dutch paper here:

"Formalin (= approximately 35 per cent formaldehyde) foot baths are used with variable success to prevent interdigital dermatitis, eczema of the interdigital skin accompanied by secondary destruction of the bulb horn. Experimental studies were done in vivo and in vitro to determine the significance of the temperature and concentration of the formalin solution and the method of bathing (standing in a bath for sixty minutes or walking through a bath, in which case each foot is immersed twice in the solution). The results show that a low temperature of the bathing solution (10 degrees C), which theoretically produces poor disinfection (Table 3), does not necessarily imply inadequate disinfection in actual practice (Table 4) as the solution will adhere to the interdigital skin for about thirty minutes (Table 2) and very rapidly will acquire the temperature of the skin (20 degrees-30 degrees C, Table 1). Therefore contact between the interdigital skin and grass, mud, dung and so on has to be prevented for the first thirty minutes after bathing. The more intensive contact between formalin and skin in a stationary foot bath offers advantages over the pass-through bath (Table 4). When a 3 percent formalin solution in a pass-through bath fails to produce satisfactory results, a 5 percent solution may be used. This concentration will result in more effective disinfection (Table 4); higher concentrations may cause skin lesions."

Am I right in thinking sure I read somewhere If you squirt a bottle of fairy liquid into a footbath when it’s cold it sticks too the feet better and warms the solution to operating temp?

 

[Fergieman]

Has anyone used CZF Plus footbath solution? Was at a farm walk on Monday and they had an IBC sitting which was being used through a Hoofcount footbath on the exit from parlour.
No idea on cost maybe @Adam@Rumen has an idea? A mix of Copper Sulphate, Zinc Sulphate and Formalin.

 

[pappuller]

Has anyone used CZF Plus footbath solution? Was at a farm walk on Monday and they had an IBC sitting which was being used through a Hoofcount footbath on the exit from parlour.
No idea on cost maybe @Adam@Rumen has an idea? A mix of Copper Sulphate, Zinc Sulphate and Formalin.

Yes, gone back to formalin, cheaper and better results 3% 4 consecutive days every week, virtually no Digi at all

 

[farmerste]

Yes, gone back to formalin, cheaper and better results 3% 4 consecutive days every week, virtually no Digi at all

what do you use for the other 3 days, just water or do you leave the bath empty?

 

[Adam@Rumen]

Am I right in thinking sure I read somewhere If you squirt a bottle of fairy liquid into a footbath when it’s cold it sticks too the feet better and warms the solution to operating temp?

Seen people do it with both copper/zinc sulphate most commonly but also formalin. Nothing science based, but I think fairy liquid breaks down any muck and helps product stick on.

 

[pappuller]

what do you use for the other 3 days, just water or do you leave the bath empty?

We have stopped using the auto bath and just set up the big ol' plastic bath and all cows through it when sent into the feed area. Nothing on the other 3 days

 

[Headless chicken]

We have stopped using the auto bath and just set up the big ol' plastic bath and all cows through it when sent into the feed area. Nothing on the other 3 days

So you’ve an auto bath for sale?

 

[Headless chicken]

Over your cow numbers would you not benefit massively and it pay for itself in having an auto footbath fitted? There were grants on them.... that way it’s flushed and fresh put in after so many cows....

yes definitely but we need to make some significant changes to accommodate it so if I can get one secondhand or at a sensible price then it could be an option. New price would probably mean it sitting there for a while before we had the money to change the handling to suit properly.

 

[pappuller]

So you’ve an auto bath for sale?

No unfortunately, we have the auto bath set up to take traffic from 2 bots, the 3rd bot doesn't lead to the bath.
We will set it up if we put a 4th single bot in a separate shed.

 

[pappuller]

So you’ve an auto bath for sale?

No unfortunately, we have the auto bath set up to take traffic from 2 bots, the 3rd bot doesn't lead to the bath.
We will set it up if we put a 4th single bot in a separate shed.

 

[Splitpin]

One thing I’ve found with my auto bath and using formalin is it seems to make the smell more apparent. I put it down to the way it pumps the product in and then blasts water in to mix, stirring up the fumes. Ok my bath is relatively close to the parlour exit but I’m going to have to move away from formalin for this reason, which is shame as it does a good job

 

[Adam@Rumen]

yes definitely but we need to make some significant changes to accommodate it so if I can get one secondhand or at a sensible price then it could be an option. New price would probably mean it sitting there for a while before we had the money to change the handling to suit properly.

I'm sure I read somewhere this week that auto footbaths are eligible on current Welsh Farm Business grant

 

[Barmyfarmer]

Are automatic footbaths worth it? Seem to be alot gone in under grant but what happens when they are knackered in 5-10 years time with no grant? I'm planning on putting a new exit for the cows in with a long concrete formed footbath with a big plug in the middle and use stored rain water to fill it?

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Are automatic footbaths worth it? Seem to be alot gone in under grant but what happens when they are knackered in 5-10 years time with no grant? I'm planning on putting a new exit for the cows in with a long concrete formed footbath with a big plug in the middle and use stored rain water to fill it?

Mine is a large formed one. 500L.
Drawbacks are it takes a lot of chemical to get to desired levels and as it's the only exit, cleaning it is a daily task whether I'm using it or not.

 

[Mc115reed]

Are automatic footbaths worth it? Seem to be alot gone in under grant but what happens when they are knackered in 5-10 years time with no grant? I'm planning on putting a new exit for the cows in with a long concrete formed footbath with a big plug in the middle and use stored rain water to fill it?

I’d imagine when they stop working in 5-10 years time the big timers will replace and the small timers will fill it with a hose pipe at the start of milking and make do lol

 

[Surface Tension]

Quick question. I have set up the footbath with 4% formalin and am running about half a dozen dry cows through it once a day, how many days can I run them through before I have to renew the solution in the footbath?

 

[Samherd]

A good one if you can get it is called Hoofit.... Its a peracetic acid based foot bath... You can mix to 1.0% dilution rate....
We've used it in between copper etc and works really well
Also try hoofit gel... If you are putting them in the crush for DD it's a green pot of paste... Clears it up in about 5 days or so....
Always in my foot kit ? hope this helps