Latest Experts Talk Video Highlights Benefits of Availa®Plus

Dairy producers can help proactively prevent the development of digital dermatitis, a highly prevalent infectious claw disease, by utilizing a nutritional strategy in heifers, said Dana Tomlinson, Ph.D., Research Nutritionist, Zinpro Corporation.

In the latest episode of the Experts Talk lameness prevention video series, Dr. Tomlinson discusses the benefits of using Availa®Plus as an effective alternative to help proactively manage digital dermatitis compared to the current reactive approach of using footbaths (for prevention) and topical antibiotics (for treatment).

"Digital dermatitis represents an ongoing challenge on our dairies and there are very limited ways to control it," said Dr. Tomlinson. Digital dermatitis is a well-known problem for dairy producers, as it is the most common infectious claw disease in dairy cattle.

Availa-Plus contains a combination of complexed zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt, plus potassium iodine. It provides dairy producers with a nutritional solution to help prevent this highly contagious claw disease. While Availa-Plus does not completely eliminate the need for foot bathing, because heifers may still have lesions, the lesions are not large, painful, active lesions.

"Availa-Plus allows us to nutritionally help control this infectious lesion that today requires tremendous expense by the dairy producer in order to implement either a foot bathing program or a spraying program," said Dr. Tomlinson.

Through the use of Availa-Plus, heifers start their first lactation as "stronger, more immune-competent animals," said Dr. Tomlinson. "The return on investment to that heifer grower or dairy producers is absolute. And it's visual."

Dr. Tomlinson's duties at Zinpro Corporation include providing technical services and support for dairy to the Americas, International and North Asia sales teams, as well as overseeing dairy research projects.

The Experts Talk online video series, sponsored by Zinpro Corporation, features one-on-one discussions with leading authorities on foot health and lameness prevention in multiple species. A different expert is featured in each episode discussing topics that range from lameness detection, to treating claw lesions that cause lameness, to best management practices for lameness prevention. To learn more, visit the Experts Talk video library on www.zinpro.com. Return to Industry Buzz.

9.24.2014